Animorphs: The One
by D.H. L'Orange
Summary: The One, an ancient evil that feeds upon a creature's soul. The Yeerk, a parasitic race that steals the body. When the Yeerks form an alliance with the One, the consequences are alarming: Controllers without hosts. Will this new partnership doom Earth?
1. Prologue1: The Phalanx

A/N: I re-wrote this chapter, because I thought it sounded confusing. Please tell me what you think.

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Phalanx home-world, ancient antiquity:

I am called Redan Neo-Va. Roughly translated this means New Life in the common languages. And I am--or was the New Life for my people, the Phalanx. I was the first Phalanx to breathe new life in an eon. I was the youngest of my kind.

I have recently changed my name to Redan Fin-Va. Last Life. For I am the last of the Phalanx because the One, the Soul-Eater, left no others.

I am carefully winding my way down the rolling She-dan Plains. Strewn across the purple prairie grasses lie the lifeless bodies of my people. Each green Phalanx form is sprawled mercilessly on the ground, three upper arms and two lower arms twisted erratically. We Phalanx had known from the beginning that we would fail, but we had to try.

Now this battlefield, these listless bodies are all that remains of the glory of my kind, of the glory of the Phalanx.

The Phalanx. We are--or were-- an advanced and peaceful race. Although our population was small in number, it was proportional to our life span. We have life spans longer than those of newly formed stars.

When my people were young enough for curiosity, we explored our galaxy, and others far beyond. This was many eons before I breathed life, but my father tells me that in our searching, we never encountered a race as old as our own.

After my people had satisfied their space-flight curiosity, we settled on a planet similar to the one that had birthed us. In our new home we lived in the simplicity of nature and only permitted contact with the short-lived races for trade. It was after the Phalanx had re-settled the planet, that I was gifted to my parents. I was the first Phalanx to be born in an eon, and my people rejoiced.

My childhood memories are happy ones. I recall long walks around my parents' hold and late-night story telling with my father. There was laughter. There was peace.

Now there is neither. The One has taken those things.

Perhaps it was our own fault. In our arrogance, we isolated ourselves from the happenings outside of our own atmosphere. We only tolerated foreigners for necessary trade, but otherwise we had little contact with the other races. We believed that if we did not look for trouble, trouble would not find us.

For the most part, this isolationist policy was successful. The few times that trouble did find us, we simply demonstrated our very advanced technology.

But we never went looking for trouble. The Phalanx did not intervene in the affairs of other species. We did not feel responsible for protecting the shorter-living races or for aiding them in battle.

I once asked my father why the Phalanx did not aid the other short-living races. During that time, I had tried to convince him that we should join the Toltar tradesmen in repelling the Squew from the invading the Toltar planet.

"Redan, why should I care for the power- squabbles of the Toltars?" My father had replied after I'd urged him to join in the Toltar's war. "I watched the Toltar planet shape from small particles of space-dust into a sharp-edged yellow sphere. I followed the Toltars evolve from tiny single cells into the walking, sulfur-breathing, quadrupeds they presently are. I will watch as the Toltar planet finds its golden era, and then diminishes. And I will still exist after the planet returns to space-dust and the Toltar are preserved only in my memory."

And now that the Phalanx are lost, who will preserve our memory? Thinking of my father causes a sharp pain in my hearts.

I wearily plod across the wispy purple grasses of the She-dan plains. As I come closer and closer to the heart of the battlefield, I encounter another familiar face; I feel another stab of pain as I recognize a friend, a cousin, an uncle--all people I have known for star-lives. All are staring listlessly at the crimson-flushed night sky.It almost seems that they are all asleep, until I notice that none of them are breathing.

Looking down, I distinguish the outline of a very familiar figure, Thelia, my first math teacher. Like the other Phalanx, Thelia shows no sign of the struggle. If only her eyes are not widened in horror, or her mouth contorted with pain--then I would not know whom she has encountered. Whom she has fought.

The One.

Soul-Eater.

The One has robbed Thelia of her essence, of the very core of her being. The One has eaten Thelia's soul. All that remains of my teacher is a body, nothing more than an empty shell.

The One.

We first heard of the evil thing from the Toltar tradesmen. They rumored of a great evil, a creature that destroyed entire races. A creature that was invincible, one that _fed_ upon the soul.

In our arrogance, we Phalanx ignored the Toltars' warning. Invincible indeed! We had lived through much, done much; the petty problems of the short-lived tradesmen did not concern us.

But it should have. If only we had listened, we might have avoided this genocide. If only we had listened, we might have stood a chance.

I stoop down and gently close Thelia's unseeing eyes. Lowering my three upper arms, I kneel onto my two lower arms. I tilt my face to gaze at the ruddy red night sky. Quietly I perform the Last Rites.

"Thelia," I whisper. "May you find peace in death as you found in life. "

But will she find peace in death?

My eyes flutter across the battlefield, gazing at the hundreds of Phalanx bodies sprawled haphazardly across the purple plains. Will any of them find peace?

I did not know.

Leaving Thelia's body, I stand up stiffly, and survey the death-scene around me. I am very close now. I have almost reached the heart of the battlefield. It is there at the center of the battlefield that I am sure to find him, the One.

I have a plan. It is my father's really, a last resort. If my people lost the battle, then I was to find the Soul-Eater and trap him. That is why I did not join in the battle, because I was the back-up plan. That is why I am the only Phalanx left.

Since the One invaded my planet, my people have studied him. Although the One cannot die, or at least we do not know how to kill him, my people have discovered his weaknesses. The One is still constrained by physical forces. He cannot move through solid matter; he is subject to gravitational forces. He cannot roam freely through space.

And that is how I am going to trap the Soul-Eater, by playing off his weaknesses. I will lure the Soul-Eater onto a specially modified spacecraft, lock the door, and send him into the blackness of space. Inside of the ship there are no piloting controls, so the One cannot control where the spacecraft takes him. Instead, the ship is programmed to avoid large gravitational fields--the fields that would exist around planets, stars, asteroids, comets--anything that the spacecraft could possibly land on.

I pray that the ship is never found, never opened.

With one last parting glance at Thelia's body, I move cautiously through the high purple grasses, and closer to the heart of the battle. The closer that I come to the center of the battle, the more bodies I see. The more Phalanx I recognize.

But I do not see the One. He will be hard to spot, I know. The One can look like anyone whose soul he has eaten. He can look like Thelia or my uncle, Rutan. He can look like a Toltar tradesman or a Gorif warrior. In addition to taking the forms of the beings whose souls he has consumed, the Soul-Eater can also appear in his natural form. In his natural form, the One looks like a glowing blue haze with leering red eyes.

It is his leering red eyes that I am looking for. No matter what form the One assumes, his own form or a stolen one, the Soul-Eater cannot hide those terrible red eyes.

As I slowly drift onward, bodies surround me. Phalanx bodies sprawled everywhere. Dead. I try not to look at them, but one of the green forms catches my gaze.

The form is so familiar, the stately chest, the strong five arms, and the commanding blue gaze.

"Father," I moan quietly. With shaking fingers, I reach for my father's hand and grasp it. His fingers are numb.

"No," I whisper hoarsely. "No."

My father is dead. He is dead.

As I sink to my knees, I feel my breathing rate increase; my hearts are beating frantically. There is fire in my throat.

And then it comes, swelling like the tide. Grief. I had blocked it out, tried to ignore it, but now it overwhelms me.

My father is dead. My people are gone. And I am alone.

"Father," I cry softly.

I cry for a long time. I cry until my eyes are dry, and my throat is raw. I cry until I can cry no more.

I am alone.

As I gently close my father's eyelids, and perform his Last Rites, something prickles at the edge of my mind. I feel uneasy, like something is not quite right.

Laying my father softly to the ground, I slowly turn around. Through tear-stained eyes I see him—he looks just like my dead father.

But there is something wrong with his eyes. They are glowing red.

It is the Soul-Eater.

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OOC: okay guys, please give me an honest review. If you want to flame, please go ahead. I just want an honest opinion. Is anything really confusing?

DH


	2. Prologue2: The Phalanx

Prologue part 2:

Redan Fin-Va: 

I stare at the One in horror. He looks just like my father. My father who is dead.

"Good, I hoped to find another meal." My father's image leers. "You Phalanx are a rare treat, but I was beginning to wonder if there were any of you left."

My breath comes in quick heaves and my hearts are racing. I want to scream. That evil creature looks just like my father.

Just like my father, but for those glittering red eyes and that cruel smile. I cannot look at that smile; it is a perversion of my father's laughing features.

I look at the ground, at the lifeless bodies of my people instead—at the body of my dead father. I reach out and squeeze his cold hand and it gives me courage.

When I look up the One is watching with sick amusement. "Does this form bother you?" 

I clench my teeth and say nothing. I will not give him the satisfaction.

The One chuckles. "Perhaps this is better?"

As I watch the One seems to melt. My father's features dribble down the face in slimy green droplets. Another face slowly takes form. I recognize the nose first. Then the strong chin. When the eyes take shape, my breath stops and for a moment I convince myself that it is my mother I am looking at.

But I am not. Those glowing red eyes, that wicked smile, blemish my mother's gentle form.

My mother's mouth twitches into a smug grin. "You do not like this form either?" The One asks innocently. "How very particular you are Redan Neo-Va."

"How do you know my name?" I ask shakily.

The Soul-Eater takes one step towards me. 

I back away. I must not let the One near me, if he touches me, he will kill me.

"How do you know my name?" I repeat.

"Your father told me." He replies.

I stare at him incredulously. "You have not talked with my father."

My mother's form moves another step forward. "Oh, but I have Redan." The One purrs. "I have talked to your mother also. She has told me things."

"You lie." I snap. "My mother would never converse with you Soul-Eater!"

"Not freely," he agrees. "But she pleads that I spare her beloved son. She begs that I do not harm Redan Neo-Va."

The One glides ever closer to where I stand, but I do not flee. I cannot. I feel rooted to this spot. It is as if, time has slowed, and the entire universe watches this one moment.

"No," I say hotly. "No! My mother is dead, you ate her soul!"

The One is a meager arm's length away. "Yes, and she is now part of me. As are the others. As you shall now be!" 

The One lunges at me. 

I quickly sidestep him.

As the One regains his balance, I turn and dash madly the other way. Away from the heart of battle, away from the body of my dead father, away from the Soul-Eater.

I hear One's laughter from close behind me. "I shall enjoy dining on your life-force, Redan Neo-Va."

I ignore him. 

"Why do you run, Phalanx?" The voice echoes throughout the silence of She-dan plains. "I will catch you. Resistance is futile."

The voice sounds closer than before. I steal a glance behind me. 

My mother's form is striding purposefully after me. Her pace is faster than possible!

Playing on reserves of strength, I force my own pace to quicken. I must get to the ship. I must lure the One inside, lock the door, and send him into space.

I look straight ahead of me. I realize that I am off the She-dan plains, now. The rolling purple grasses have disappeared.

I sight the Wanderer's Road and turn a sharp left. 

"I will have you Phalanx! Surrender!"

The voice is almost upon me.

Out of pure panic, my speed increases. I glide down the road, running faster than I ever have. Trees rush by me in a bright blue haze, and every now and then, a reddish blur alerts me to lurboc bushes.

I am running so fast, that I almost miss the fork in the road. 

Almost.

I turn a hard left and continue down the road.

A crashing noise behind me assures me that the One has turned also.

Good. The One must follow me.

My lower three legs feel heavy and my breath comes in ragged heaves, but thankfully I see it now.

There, a few paces in front of me, is the ship hangar. 

The hangar is quite small, not very impressive. But at this moment, it is the most welcome structure I have ever seen.

Glancing behind me, I see my mother's figure moving steadily towards me. The One is within throwing distance.

Blanching, I race for the hangar. The metallic door slides silently open and I dash inside. 

Inside the hangar is a large room, empty, but for the one ship. I race for it, my footsteps ringing throughout the building. A second set of footsteps alerts me to the One's presence.

"Begin launch sequence of ship, Trapli, by the authority of Redan Fin-Va." I scream to the empty room as I sprint for the ship.

I hear soft grinding noises as Trapli obeys my command. 

I reach the ship and whirl around to face the One.

I must trick him into entering the ship.

"Come and get me Soul-Eater!" I taunt.

The One grins. "I shall, Redan Neo-Va."

"Fin-Va," I correct him coldly.

My mother's form laughs in amusement. "Very well, Redan Last Life." With her upper arms she strikes out at me.

I dodge her, but she throws another blow. 

I dodge this one also. 

I am worried. The Soul-Eater moves so fast. I must not let him touch me or he will kill me.

"I am the One who is Many. The One who is all," The Soul-Eater chants. "Join me, Phalanx."

My mother's form swings at me again.

I twist my body and her fingers narrowly miss my torso.

I am not going to survive, I realize with sudden clarity. The One will have me.

I know what I must do. 

I run away from my mother's form, away from the One and inside the Trapli. 

"You wish me to join you, Soul-Eater?" I ask bravely. "Then come and get me!"

My mother's form laughs maliciously and then steps onboard the Trapli. "I shall enjoy eating your soul, Redan Neo-Va."

"Fin-Va." I correct her coldly.

Fin-Va.

Last of the Phalanx.

"Ship, Trapli, secure outer hatch and lift off. Disregard any and all subsequent commands!" I scream. "Authority Redan Fin-Va."

My mother's red eyes flash in shock as the only escape from the ship is sealed. 

Rumbling noises signal its departure from the Phalanx home world.

"You shall never escape this prison, Soul-Eater," I laugh. "This ship is programmed to avoid large gravitational fields. You will never land on a planet. You will never destroy another peoples." I pause before finishing. "You will never leave."

The One stares at me, digesting what I have said. "I may never leave," he snarles. "But neither shall you!"

The evil thing lunges at me and its hand makes contact with my own.

Pain.

Indescribable pain.

It feels as if my very essence is being scraped clean. 

It hurts so badly that I cannot move.

I cannot think.

I can only watch, and the only thing I can see is eyes.

Glittering red eyes.


	3. Chapter 1: Jake

Thank you so much for reviewing, weetzybat and DID!

**Answering your questions:**

**Weetzybat:** of course they're gonna open it! I would have a pretty crummy story if they didn't! and as far as having a warning on the ship, yep definitely.

**DID:** I'm going to explain the One's character a lot more, so don't worry! As far as absorbing someone's memory, naw, he can't do that. (but you'll find that out pretty soon, when I write a chapter from his POV).

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Okay, I guess I'd better put a little disclaimer here, since I'm actually going to be writing from the Animorph's POV:

I do not own Animorph.

There.

**Spoilers:** this book takes place after #54, so if you haven't read the ending to the series, ignore this warning and read my story anyways!!!! (why would I turn away a possible review?) Okay, this was originally supposed to be from Marco's POV, but Jake just clicked better.

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Half year after Visser One's trial (1.5 years since the war ended) :

My name is Jake. Jake Berenson.

A few years ago, I wouldn't have told you my last name because it would have been too dangerous.

But a lot can happen in a few years. The war with the Yeerks has ended. And amazingly we won. Five kids and an Andalite aristh, against the entire Yeerk empire. And we won. Earth is free, the Yeerks threat is gone, the Hork-Bajir are restoring their way of life, the Taxxons are at peace.

So why am I so unhappy? Because all these things were gained at a great price. A very great price.

I was running, running so fast, but they were gaining on me. I knew that they'd catch me.

"Jake!" The voices called. "Jake! Save us!"

I threw my hands over my ears, trying to ward off the cries, but it didn't make a difference.

"Jake!" The voices wailed louder.

I ran faster.

"Save us!" They insisted. "Jake!"

I stopped running, and whirled about to face them. To face them all. Rachel. Tom. The Auxilary Animorphs. The seventeen thousand Yeerks.

"Jake! Save us!" They cried in unison.

"No! Go away!" I screamed. "Leave me alone!"

Tom's face twisted into a sneer. "You promised me Jake. You promised you'd save me."

I shook my head. "I tried. I tried." I pleaded.

Tom lifted his head back and laughed coldly. "Well, you didn't try hard enough!"

I looked at Rachel. "Rachel, tell him. Tell Tom how hard I tried!" I begged her.

Rachel glared at me fiercely. "You didn't try." She snapped. "You didn't care! You killed me Jake! You killed Tom! You killed us all!"

No. I shook my head fiercely.

"NO!!!!" I howled, my eyes snapping open.

I sat upright in the bed panting and absently wiped the tears from my eyes.

This was not the first time that I'd had this particular nightmare.

I squinted into the darkness, and slowly objects blurred into focus as my eyes adjusted to the gloom. I had slept in this room for almost a year, but it still didn't feel like my room. My room had been destroyed when we blew up the Yeerk pool. This room, was just a place I slept in.

I glanced at the glowing red display of the alarm clock. 6:34. I stifled a groan. It was too early to get up, but to late to go back to sleep. Not that I'd be able to sleep after that dream. It always left me feeling shaken.

I knew that if I stayed in bed, I'd just keep thinking about the nightmare, so I decided to get up. Sighing, I struggled out of the sweat soaked sheets and headed for the bathroom.

After a long hot shower, I got dressed, and walked into the kitchen to make some breakfast.I pulled out a box of Tricks from the pantry and made myself a bowl of the cereal. Slumping into a kitchen chair, I stared gloomily at my reflection in the milk.

I knew this day would come sooner or later. It was the beginning of the end.The Animorphs were splitting up. Cassie, Marco, Tobias, had all gone their separate ways. Cassie, with her work with the Hork Bajir. Marco, with his entertainment career. Tobias, well I had no idea what Tobias was up to, I hadn't seen him since Rachel's funeral. I wasn't sure that I wanted to see him.

And now Ax was leaving Earth. He had relinquished his position as liason to Earth, and the Andalite fleet had finally commissioned him. They were outfitting him with his own ship, the Intrepid.

Ax was very excited, and I felt that I owed it to him to be happy for him, but I wasn't happy. I was down-right depressed.

Tonight we were throwing Ax a Going Away party. It would be the last night that Cassie, Marco, Ax, and I spent as a group.

I stared sadly at the bright fruity shapes in my bowl. The cereal had turned into mush.

I had won the war, but now what? What do I do with myself?

It felt like my life had ended with the war, and I was just waiting for the moment that I'd finally die.

Somehow, Ax, Marco, and even Cassie, have moved on. They fought the war and its over for them. But for me, it will never really end.

The others worry about me, I know. They try to understand why Jake isn't Jake anymore. But they don't know what I lost. How can they?

We all lost friends, family.

Rachel.

But I lost something else. I lost my soul.

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This was supposed to be a longer chapter, but it just didn't write that way. So I'll probably go ahead and write another one over the weekend.

Now if you're really cool, you'll review this. Even if you just type "hi" in the review, that way I know that you're actually reading it. ThankS!

DH


	4. Chapter 2:Jake

Thank you weetzybat, Liaranne (pretty name), Brutal2003, Mimi Chica for your reviews!

Answering your questions/comments:

Brutal2003: Thanks! I'm hoping that what you're saying is that you like this fict and that it has potentional. (If that's not what you meant, I'm just going to pretend like it is). So thanks! : )

  
Mimi Chica: I'm glad you like this. Is Rachel going to live? Oh yesSSSSS!!! (she's VERY important to my story!but I'm not going to tell you how.you'll just have to keep reading **) *evil smile ***

Liaranne: gosh that's a pretty name! The reason that what I wrote didn't make sense is b/c I'm a retard who doesn't recheck her work. (Other than punctuation and grammar and I still mess that upsad, huh?)

But thanks for catching that! I REALLY appreciate it! I'll go back and fix it. : )

weetzybat: That's a good point about short chapters. I never really thought about that before. I've thought about short sentences catching your attention. But not short chapters.

And yeah, that's really how Jake is. I read and re-read the few passages about his life after the war (#54) very pathetic. My favorite was Marco: "Jake..would sound almost like the old Jake sometimes but you just got this sense that he was out of phase with everyone else. Like he was half a step ahead or behind"

Here's my disclaimer:

I don't own Animorphs or Cinabun or McDonald's. Or the Enquirer.

But I do own my puppy! He's mine and you can't have him! So there!

JAKE:

Later that day, I was sitting upstairs in my room, peering over my latest chapter of my autobiography. Marco and his Hollywood crew had finally convinced me to start it. (Or rather, I finally realized writing it was the only way Marco would quit nagging me about it).

"And then we realized that there were actually two Rachels, because the starfish morph had split in half. That was a very interesting mission because not only did we have to find a way to put Rachel back together, but we also had to find a way to destroy the Anti-morphing Ray that the Yeerks were experimenting with."

I stared thoughtfully at the paragraph and then sighed in frustration. It just wasn't coming out the way I wanted. The entire _book_ wasn't coming out the way I wanted. I hated writing the stupid thing!

I reached across the desk to the small footlocker that my Grandma had given to me after Grandpa G. died. This was one of the few things I'd been able to salvage from my old house after we'd blown up the Yeerk pool. 

I opened the locker and pulled out the Purple Heart. Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart. He'd been awarded it when he fought in WWII. 

I reverently stroked the small medal. Grandpa G. had always had a tired look in his eyes. Like he was only half-aware of what was going on. Like half of him was always somewhere else, remembering something that was so sad.

I understood that look, now. I think my own eyes probably resembled his.

"Jake?" My mom's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Jake, honey, isn't that party of yours tonight?"

"Yeah Mom," I yelled from my upstairs room. Although I've got enough money to buy my own place, I'm still living with my parents. 

It really helps having them around, especially because Tom and Rachel aren't.

"Jake," My mother's voice carried. "I thought you said that the party started at 4:00?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Well its 4:30 right now." 

It was already that late?

I cursed silently and tossed the unfinished manuscript aside. Reaching across the desk, I opened the footlocker and then carefully picked up Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart. I was about to put the medal back, but decided to put it into my jeans pocket instead.

This night was going to be a very hard one for me, and the medal would be comforting at least.

I rummaged around my room and located my car keys. I quickly rushed downstairs. "Bye Mom! Dad!" I called as I ran out the front door.

It nearly 5:00 before I reached Marco's mansion. Ax, Marco, Cassie, and I were all meeting there for Ax's Going Away Party. We were planning on going out to eat, but I didn't know all the details.

I steered the Jaguar down the private drive and stopped at the guard-station. I rolled down the window to greet the guard.

"Hi," I smiled to the man. He was a brown haired guy who looked in his thirties. I hadn't seen him before, so I'm assuming he was new. "I'm—"

"Jake Berenson, the Animorph!" The guy said excited. His eyes flashed gleefully. "This is an honor to meet you Mr. Berenson. I know all about you!" He thrust his hand out.

I grasped his outstretched hand and shook it. "Uh thanks." I answered politely.

"Can I get your autograph, please?" The guard asked hopefully. "For my ten year old?" He rummaged around the guard station and produced a black pen and a legal pad.

I sighed inwardly. I really _hate_ all the attention I get since I reached my "celebrity status."

"Sure," I replied and quickly signed my name. "Now can you please let me pass? Marco's expecting me."

The guard looked ecstatic. "Oh, yeah sure," he nodded vigorously. "Anything you say Mr. Berenson. Anything at all." He raised the neon orange guard bar. "Go on ahead, Mr. Berenson. And thanks for the autograph!"

I revved up the Jag and took the private drive a full city block before it dead-ended at the mansion. Did I say mansion? Marco's "mansion" is about the size of a large junior college. And the property rivals an amusement park.

I parked my car on the circular drive and then followed the front path to the door.

I raised my finger to ring the doorbell, but the door swung open before I had a chance to push the button. 

Standing in the doorframe was a snooty middle-aged man, dressed in butler's regalia.

"Hey Weatherbee," I greeted Marco's butler.

"Mr. Berenson," The other acknowledged me with a slight nod. "Marco has been expecting you. Follow me please."

Weatherbee lead me through the maze that is Marco's house. Without him, I'm sure I'd have been hopelessly lost, the house has more rooms than a Holiday Inn. How Marco ever navigates it remains a mystery to me.

"So, is anyone here yet?" I asked Weatherbee.

The pompous manservant, raised his eyebrow. Very Mr. Spockish. "You wish to know how late you are, Mr. Berenson?"

I smiled sheepishly.

"Very."

Weatherbee turned right and lead me into a game room where Marco, Ax, and Cassie were playing pool.

Weatherbee stopped outside the room. "Wait here, Mr. Berenson." He instructed. "I have to announce you." 

Weatherbee walked into the game and waited until he had my friends' attention. "Marco, Mr. Berenson has arrived." He said haughtily.

Marco looked at Weatherbee reproachfully. "Weatherbee?" He said warningly.

The butler scowled.

"Weatherbee?"

Weatherbee's teeth clenched indignantly. "_Lord and Master Almighty_ Marco, Mr. Berenson has arrived."

Marco nodded brightly. "Good Weatherbee. You may leave us now." He shook his hand in a haughty dismissal.

Weatherbee bowed mockingly and left the room.

"What was _that _all about?" I asked Marco confused.

Marco shrugged. "What? Oh Weatherbee!" He laughed. "I just like messing with his head."

"Does he know that?" I asked.

Marco shrugged. "I dunno." He gestured me over to the pool table. "Hey Cassie! Ax! Look who _finally _decided to join us."

Cassie smiled _that _smile. "Hi Jake," she said warmly.

Looking at Cassie, always brings it all back. I still love her. Always had. Always will. 

But the war is over. And when it ended, so did Cassie and I. I don't know how. I don't know why. It just did. She is seeing someone else now. Randy Connors or something like that. He seems like a good guy. I hope he'll make her happy.

"Hello Cassie," I replied quietly.

A delicate blue hand grasped mine in a weak handshake. Prince Jake Ax greeted me. It is good to see you.

"Hey Ax," I smiled. "Or should I say Prince Ax?"

With his eyes, Ax flashed a proud Andalite smile.Yes Prince Jake.

I sighed at that. Prince Jake. Ax always calls me "Prince Jake." It wasn't even worth correcting him anymore.

"So where are we going tonight?" I asked curiously.

"We don't know yet." Cassie answered. "We were actually just discussing that."

Marco smirked. "It's kind of hard to figure that kind of thing out, when someone's an hour late! Daylight Savings ended like three months ago. Did you forget to reset your clock or something?" He asked sarcastically.

I almost smiled. Almost. Marco's always been the funny one. But nothing really seems to make me laugh anymore.

"No, really." I said. "Where are we going?"

Cassie shrugged. "Why don't you decide Ax. Its your party, afterall. What are you in the mood for? Chinese? Italian?"

"Money's no option, since Jake's paying." Marco added slyly.

Ax stroked his chin thoughtfully. One of the many human habits he has picked up. As this will be my last night on Earth, I think I will savor it, by indulging in my favorite flavors.

And that's how we ended up at McDonald's.

"Grease! Grease!" Ax screamed ecstatically. "I enjoy these grease burgers so much!"

Cassie, Marco, and I were hunched inside our booth slightly embarrassed, while Ax ran around in a feeding frenzy.

"Number 161, 162, 163." A voice intoned over the loud speaker. "Your orders are ready."

"Hey I think that's us." Cassie said.

"Gee, how'd you guess?" Marco sneered. "Maybe because, the last 15 orders, have been ours?"

"You're the one who said that money was no option." Cassie replied logically.

"Point taken," Marco agreed. He slid out of the booth and headed to get to the counter.

Even though Ax has many years practice in his human morph, eating still remains a problem. In all other respects, Ax can pass as a human, but once he gets a whiff of anything remotely edible

"Hey Ax-man," Marco called as he returned with the three trays.

"More grease burgers?" Ax asked hopefully. He flew to the trays of food that Marco had set on the table. He grabbed one of the hamburgers and in an amazing 2 seconds had unwrapped his prize. "Burgers! urgers! gers!" He cried.

"Oh god, he's starting to stutter." Marco said horrified.

Ax has finally perfected his speech, but every now and then he slips back into stuttering. Generally when he's eating or really excited. 

Right now he was both.

I watched in disgust as Ax crammed an entire Big Mac into his mouth in one bite. One bite!

"Delicious!" Ax announced. He delve into his next. "Oh Cheese and Special Sauce! I love Special Sauce. Sauce! auce! uce!"

Marco looked slowly around the restaurant sitting area. "Do you realize that everyone in here is watching us?" he asked. He shook his head unhappily. "I can just imagine the next cover of the Enquirer: Marco, the most famous, most heroic, most handsome Animorph thrown out of McDonald's after Andalite friend scares hundreds."

"I don't think they'll throw you out," I disagreed. "You're a famous celebrity."

"But its still bad for my public image." He returned sulkily.

Ax ran up to us, bouncing like a puppy. "Prince Jake, may we go to the Cinabun now?" He asked hopefully. "I am ready for desert. esert sert. t." He absently wiped the Special Sauce from his forehead. How it had gotten there remained a mystery to me.

"Yeah, uh sure, Ax-man." I replied quickly. "Why don't you and Cassie go to car, and Marco and I will meet you in a second."

Cassie and Ax filed out of the McDonald's, followed by a trail of eyes from the other patrons.

"Come on, Marco," I headed for the counter. "Let's go pay the bill."

"But you already paid it."

I nodded in agreement. "I mean, let's go pay for the damages."

"Ah."

So, did you like it? Did you hate it? Cassie and Ax are easier to write, but I'm not sure if I got Marco's humor correctly. Do you think he's too mean? And is Jake okay?

I've got one more chapter on Jake I want to write and then I'm moving to another character. (And the story will get rolling.)

These first 3 chapters are mainly to set the tone on how everybody is before my story so that might mean I've got to write a Tobias? I dunno he's really not doing much at the moment besides living in his tree and that's not too interesting although I guess I could just write like a 1 pager about how depressed and stuff he is. 

What do you think?

See all the questions? Don't you feel obligated to respond to some of them? Don't you feel that you should review? 

*Giggles to herself for being so sneaky about getting people to review. *

Eek! Did I just type that out loud? You're not supposed to read my evil plan! 

Aw, well, I'm too lazy to go back and delete that.

PLEASE REVIEW!!! 

ThankS!

DH

: ) 


	5. Chapter3: Jake

Thankyou everyone for your reviews! I had this smile plastered on my face after I got my first review. With the influx of all these I've been skipping around the campus like Dorothy going down the yellow-brick road. (maybe I shouldn't have shared that image).

**answering your comments/questions:**

**shiningmeadow1 :** thanks for reading! : ) I do agree with you about making Marco a little too mean. I tried to make him a little less testy this chapter. Tell me what you think.

**Liarrane:** You caught me on that. In my outline I go straight from the Phalanx to the One. But once I started writing it I realized that going straight to the One meant that I didn't get to the Animorphs until nearly 5 or 6 chapters in. But this is my last prequel chapter. After this I'm gettting back to the One. Thanks so much for reading!

**DID:** do you mind if I abbreviate that? I saw you do that once in your story so that's how I got the idea. I'm glad that you like the fict so far. I've never actually met a real maid or butler before, so I have no real idea how they act. So I was just basing Weatherbee off of that butler in that show The Nanny or Fresh Prince. Also I'm amazed that you lasted so long in your no internet bet. I don't think I'd have enough fortitude to last more than a day or so.

**RaspberryGirl:** Thanks so much for reading and REVIEWING!!!! : ) No Tobias isn't really too big in my story. I'm considering not writing from his perspective ever

**goddess of darkness3:** thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it! : )

**Brutal2003:** I'm glad that we're on the same page. Thanks for reading.

**weetzybat:** I don't think I'm going to write a Tobias chapter b/c it'd be really boring and b/c like you said, leaving him out of it will add a little mystery. As far as Jake owning a Jag, but living w/his parents, that was actually in the book. (the Jag was free). These couple of chapters aren't supposed to be too moving. I wanted to make these more like part of the series so that when the plot does get rolling it'll catch ppl's attention. As far as Marco...I think he's one of the harder to write (mainly b/c my sense of humor isn't quite the same as his, so I really have to stop and think about it). I hope that this chapter seems a bit more Jake than the last one. (I have a tendency to switch from the character's voice to my own sometimes, without realizing it). so do you think this chapter sounds more Jake? (that's really important to me, since Jake is going to be on of my main POV's). Thanks Thanks Thanks for the honest opinion! I really appreciate it!

**Rachel9446:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm glad that you like this. Rachel will be coming back one of these chapters, but the story isn't totally about her. (She'll be a main part of it, but its not totally her). I hope that I don't disappoint you). And yes, school is evil. I've been wanting to update this for a long time, but evil school has been keeping me from it.

**SimplySara:** Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad that you like it.

**the check-out counter girl:** Does your name imply anything? (just curious). I'm glad that you like this so far and that you think that Marco's humor is good. And yes, at your suggestion he IS driving since Jake's paying. I agree with you about the plot not developing too much the last chapter. I did that purposefully. I wanted to establish a couple of things about the characters and their relations/feelings and things on Earth.

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Animorphs or this story you be included in the series. I also don't own McDonald's, Cinabun, NASA, Krispy Kreme, Passions, Batman, Superman, Spiderman

In fact I don't own anything.

boo-ho

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Jake:

After a similar experience at the Cinabun, Marco drove Cassie, Ax, and I back to his mansion. We only had a few short hours to spend together before Ax was due at the Andalite Embassy to ship out.

We were now seated in the Marco's game room talking about random things.

Marco was telling us about the role he'd just landed in an upcoming TV show.

It almost felt like old times.

Almost.

"So my character's name is Nick Lang," Marco was explaining. "And he's a mutant superhero who can turn into animals."

"Mutant superhero who can turn into animals?" Cassie asked with a slight grin.

"Yeah, but a mild mannered reporter by day." I added with a smirk.

"Detective!" Marco retorted hotly. "Clark Kent is a reporter. Nick Lang is a detective."

"Like Batman?" I asked.

"No. " Marco shook his head. "Batman was a millionaire. Nick Lang is a detective."

"Batman was a detective." I argued.

"Not like Nick Lang," Marco shot back.

(I believe that Prince Jake is correct.) Ax interrupted in thought-speak. (I have seen Batman on television, and he is a detective.)

Marco shook his head in frustration. "I _know_ Batman was a detective, Ax-man. What you and Twiddle-Dum here don't seem to understand is that Batman was a millionaire first, detective second, superhero _third _. That's why Spiderman would kill ol' Batman, because Spiderman was a superhero first."

(I disagree.) Ax interjected. (Spiderman _could not_ kill Batman. Batman is the better superhero!)

Marco shook his head in disgust. " Ax-man you've only seen the television shows, you've never actually read the comics! Spiderman is _way_ better than Batman!"

"Marco, Ax," I stopped them. "I think you're forgetting something vitally important: Superman could beat Spiderman _and _Batman, even if he were surrounded by kryptonite."

"No way! Spiderman would use his web-slingers!"

(Batman has the Bat-mobile!)

Cassie quickly interrupted our rising argument. "So tell me more about your TV show," she hastily prodded Marco.

"Well," Marco said after he'd calmed down. "Nick Lang turns into animals, and I even do my own stunts."

"You do your own stunts." Cassie smiled. "Imagine that."

Yeah, imagine that. A year and a half ago we were still fighting the Yeerks.

And now Marco was starring in a TV show.

And the Animorphs were splitting up.

Ax was leaving. Early this morning. And Cassie was catching a morning flight back to Yellowstone. Some problem with the Hork Bajir Preserve that she needed to look into.

So it'd just be Marco and I again. Marco and I just like it had been before the construction sight.

Marco and I.

And no more Animorphs.

Marco and I.

I sighed unhappily and reached into my jeans pocket. My fingers touched the Purple Heart. Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart. He'd fought in WW Ii and he'd lived out the rest of his life alright.

I nodded my head in resolution. If Grandpa G. could do it, so could I.

"No you can't go yet, Ax." Cassie was saying. "We haven't given you your presents yet."

(Presents?) Ax asked in confusion. (Why would you give me presents?)

Yeah, why are we giving Ax presents?

Cassie smiled gently. "When a good friends leaves and goes to live somewhere else, we humans give them a going away present." She explained. "Something that will remind the friend of the people he left behind."

Ax nodded. (I understand. So you all have presents for me? )He asked hopefully.

"Of course we do." Cassie answered brightly.

We do?

"Come on Ax-man, you didn't really think we'd let you leave without loading you down first." Marco laughed. "That's not the human way." He rummaged under the sofa and produced a large rectangular object in brightly colored wrapping.

I felt sick as I realized what it was. A going away present for Ax.

And I didn't have one.

"Here," Marco said giving the present to Ax. Marco flashed a winning smile. "You're going to like this, my Andalite friend. Open it."

With his weak Andalite fingers, Ax slowly unwrapped the present and then opened the box. Inside was a collection of title-less DVD's.

Ax looked at them slightly disinterested.

(Thank you Marco ) Ax said politely. (I appreciate your thoughtfulness.)

Marco shook his head in disgust. "Ax-man, it's the new season of Passions."

Ax's main eyes flew open in shock. (The new season of Passions?) He asked incredulously. (But that is my favorite TV soap! ) He stared at Marco in wonder, ( The new season does not come out for another three months! September 14! How have you obtained a copy ?)

Marco looked smug. "You're looking at a famous celebrity," he explained cockily. "I have my sources."

Ax smiled a happy Andalite eye-smile. (Thank you very much Marco.)

Cassie stepped forward, carrying a large gift-bag. "Open mine next Ax," she handed Ax the bag. "Then you can get to Jake's."

Get to Jake's?

I felt like total scum. What kind of a person forgets to get one of their best friends a going away present?

A jerk, that's who.

Ax took the gift bag from Cassie and looked inside. (There are packets) he said confused. He pulled one out and displayed it to us. It looked like a long over-sized ketchup packet.

"That's a freeze-dried Krispy Kreme." Cassie explained. She squinted at the markings printed on the package. "Chocolate, I think." She gestured to the gift bag. "There's freeze-dried Krispy Kreme, Cinabun, and McDonald's in there."

(Truly?)

Cassie smiled. "I figured you wouldn't get much human food in space."

(But where did you get this from?)

"From some government friends that oversee the astronaut program."

Cassie shot Marco a look. "I have my sources." She replied smugly.

"Ouch," Marco winced painfully. "And Cassie strikes again."

Ax carefully placed the Krispy Kreme packet back into the gift bag. When he finished he looked at me expectantly.

They all looked at me expectantly.

What to do?

I had _nothing_ , absolutely _nothing._

I kept my face in a perfect mask. Something I'd had lots of practice with during the war. The leader could not show his feelings. I would not show my feelings.

"Hey Jake, its your turn." Marco reminded me.

I nodded and unthinkingly dug my hands deeply into my pockets.

My right hand contacted something smooth.

Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart.

I slowly pulled the medal out of my pocket and presented it to Ax.

"Ax," I said very seriously. "This was my Grandpa's when he fought in a war. It was mine when I fought the Yeerks." I placed the medal into Ax's outstretched fingers. "And now I want you to have it." I closed his fingers around it.

A deep-found respect flashed into Ax's main eyes and he bowed slightly. (Thank you Prince Jake.) He replied huskily. (I shall keep this on me at all times. I will take care of this.)

I nodded. I knew he would.

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wow, did anyone else catch the symbolism in that?

I know that lots of ppl said that the last chapter (and I know this one) is slow. But I did that one purpose. The Animorphs don't know about the One yet, so I couldn't have them doing much. I really just wanted to establish all the relationships before I got to the real story stuff.

so the next chapter the story gets going... enter the One stage left. : )

thank you everyone who reads this. Please review, so I know what you think.

Was Jake okay in this chapter?(I'm having trouble writing him when he interacts w/everyone b/c I'm not sure how despondent to make him) Is Marco's humor better?

One last thing...this story is going to be long. I outlined it earlier in the summer and its going to be long.

please review!

thankS!

DH

PS: Please tell me if you've read #54 or not, so I know how much of important stuff to mention. (If everyone's read it, then I can skip some stuff).


	6. Chapter 4:Efflit

Thank you so much for reviewing everybody!!! (As pathetic as this sounds, I've increased my e-mail checking to three and four times a day, just to see if I've gotten any more reviews).

**answering your questions/comments:**

**SimplySara:** I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. I thought Marco's humor was more Marcoish too. (Which kinda annoys me, that right when I think I've figured out how to write him, I'm shifting characters...and I don't know if we're going to hear much from Marco in a while...maybe I'll add a part specially for him).

Also w/your stories, I totally cannot believe that you needed a boost to keep writing them! Honest, you're such a good writer! You put the rest of us to shame!!

**DID:** Happy Birthday! Hope you got lots of presents! (one time everyone forgot mine and that really sucked! of course I didn't remind anyone, but since when should you have to remind your family about your birthday, for cryin out loud?)

anyways, yeah I felt sorry for Jake too. But when I started outlining Jake's chapter I really wanted something to use to symbolize the parting. So I tried to think of something for that, and that's how it ended up being the Purple Heart.

Also, I added a whole page in the beginning of this chapter to try and explain what happened to the Yeerks and how the war ended and such. Do you think its confusing? If it is, I'll go back and fix it.

**Rachel9466:** Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you caught the symbolism and no it isn't anything really too deep. (I really hate it in English classes when they're like: "no, you just don't get it." I mean, if its symbolism or a metaphor or something, what's the point of making it so deep that no one gets it? isn't the whole point of that stuff to make the reader understand things better? that's what I thought at least)

I'm Tobias obsessed too, but I don't know how much of him I can get into this story. I'll try though. But my main POV's (outlined at least) are: Rachel, Jake, Ax, Cassie, The One, the Yeerk in this chapter.... and I'm thinking about some others. Not sure yet.

OH! Since you're writing a Yeerk story (I read it and you really know your Yeerk-stuff) can you tell me if the characters here seem-uh-Yeerkish enough?

**Dr. Billy Bobby Bob:** I'm glad you're liking this and that you caught the "old Jake" flashes. I'm going to write the One's POV in the next chapter. I promise! cringes, don't hate for changing me mind here I just thought that if I put it from the Yeerk's POV first, that it'd be a bit more suspenseful.

**weetzybat:** the symbolism that I meant was that Grandpa G. was a leader, then Jake, and now Ax, and by passing the purple heart to Ax, Ax is now dah leader. (I bet you over-analyzed, huh? Nope, I'm not tricksy enough to make it even semi-deep).

So I'm wondering, you said you insert your personal voice into your characters and no one notices... which character are you then? (I'm hoping its not Trentil...that would be just a tad scary!)

oh, and that's funny about your sister's shelf! I'm the sister w/the Animorphs shelf in my family. My other sisters only read 1/4 and 1/2 way through the series, so I never got to talk to them about the end.

**SammyT:** I'm glad that you're liking this! Thanks so much for RR! (And I meant reading and reviewing, not resting and recovering BTW...although, I bet you already got that, huh? suddenly feels very stupid okay, I'm walking over here now. Leave me alone! )

**shortmastaj:** Thanks for reading and reviewing my story! I REALLY REALLY appreciate it! : ) As far as all the stuff you mentioned, I've already got the story pretty well planned out, but I'll try and include Erek if you want.

**RaspberryGirl:** gosh looking at your name combined w/your e-mail address is really making me hungry! (Or maybe it's the fact that I haven't had lunch yet? Naaaah!)

I'm glad you liked the presents part. I spent the entire week trying to think of something that each character could give Ax that would still be IC for them. As far as watching Passions, I kinda do. Kinda meaning that when I worked over the summer, it was on during my lunch break, so I'd semi-watch it. But I don't really know much about it besides the obvious stuff.

Oh, and I'm glad you like the history part. I was laughing at my friend about writing this b/c I don't want to mess anything up really bad, so I've got a pile of Animorphs books, plus a dictionary, and a thesaurus all stacked by the computer. It looks like I'm writing a research paper!

**jullzz:** How do you say your name? (I mean does it rhyme with anything?)

I'm glad that you like this story and thanks sooooo soooooo soooo much for reviewing! As far as writing a Tobias chapter after Rachel returns...uhm...Rachel won't return (at least to Tobias) for a while, but when I get there I'll try and write one from his POV. (I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want to write from Tobias's perspective, mainly b/c then I'd feel obligated to write from Marco's too...otherwise the only Animorph we'd never hear from would be Marco...which is kinda mean b/c I luv Marco!)

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Animorphs.

**My claimer:** I own Redan and the Phalanx!

(Couldn't help myself, all this "I don't own anything" business is starting to lower my self-esteem. SO I added this column to make myself feel better!)

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The Blade Ship:

My name is Efflit One-Three-One-Eight of the Sulp Niar Pool.

I am also called Visser One.

Yes, Visser One. After the stupidity of the previous visser cost us the Yeerk Empire, I became top Visser.

Yes, I blame Esplin-Nine-Four-Double-Six for the destruction of the Yeerk Empire. How that arrogant fool every attained the position of Visser One, I cannot fathom. His only qualification was his Andalite host body. Other than that he was not particularly brilliant, a good strategist, or even a passing warrior. This became especially evident during his time on Earth. For three years, he invested countless Controllers and Yeerk resources trying to secretly subdue the planet. However, a resistance composed of a small group of human youths that could turn into _bunny rabbits_ somehow managed to foil his efforts.

When the human subjection evolved into a public war, the Yeerk Empire was assured a swift and uncontested victory.

But what would this victory mean?

With the conquest of Earth under his belt, Visser One was sure to be promoted to the Council of Thirteen. He would become even more powerful.

More pompous.

More dictatorial.

A handful of Yeerks, including the host brother of Jake the Animorph, realized this fact and sought to overthrow Visser One.

But how?

Then it happened. Tom captured an Escafil device. Tom, myself, and a few other trusted conspirators became morph-capable. We now had the same power as that fool Esplin.

Under Tom's leadership, we formed a pact with the Animorphs that would overthrow Visser One. In exchange for security codes to the Pool Ship, we were given a free escape with the Blade Ship.

Of course we lied. But so did they.

In the last moments of the battle, the Animorphs defeated Visser One on the Pool Ship. On the Blade Ship we turned to fire on the Esplin's now defenseless Pool Ship.

But that didn't happen. Jake, the Animorph leader, had planted an Animorph on our ship. The girl, Rachel, managed to kill our leader, Tom, before we could kill her.

A hundred Controllers and myself, plus a Yeerk Pool of almost seven hundred narrowly escaped on the Blade Ship. In Tom's absence, I was named Visser One.

I was sitting in the Captain's Quarters of the Blade Ship, staring wearily out the window.

If only we could find another Class Five Race, I thought frustrated. We had almost seven hundred Yeerks without host bodies.

The problem was the rarity of the Class Five races, combined with the all too real Andalite/Human threat. We were constantly on the move, sure that our enemies were tracking us.

(And they will find you.) My host taunted. (They will kill you.)

(Shut up Regan.) I commanded the human.

(You know what I say is true.) He replied derisively.

It was all too true.

We were too few. Only a hundred Controllers. Only one ship.

When our enemies did find us, our defeat was assured.

(I will restore the Yeerk Empire to its glory.) I stated to the scornful host. (I will lead the Yeerk conquest, and none shall stop us. We shall return to Earth victorious, and force your ape-like planet to its knees!)

Regan laughed. (Get off your soapbox, Efflit.)

(You do not believe me? ) I demanded.

Regan laughed harder.

I would show him!

I quickly flipped through the host's memories.

Ah, here it was.

Regan paled as I played the memory, laughing at it like it was a cheap cartoon.

(Not so good with the ladies, were you Regan? ) I taunted. (What with those flattering one-liners and your stunning boyish charm, it's no wonder!)

A soft beeping noise interrupted my thoughts. "Visser?" A voice asked cautiously.

"Yes!" I snapped at the invasion of my solitude. My underlings know that they are not to bother the Visser when he is in the Captain's Quarters.

"Come!" I all but snarled.

The door to my quarters slid smoothly open, revealing a menacing Hork Bajir shape.

"What do you want sub-visser 15?" I demanded immediately.

Although the Hork Bajir eyed me warily, I still observed the glinting in his eyes. Something had happened. Something big.

"Visser you are needed on the bridge." He replied. His eyes flashed in excitement. "We've found something."

I surveyed the Hork Bajir perplexed. "You found something, sub-visser? Could you be more–ah–specific?"

The bladed creature clumsily shook his head. "No, you must see it for yourself."

The way the Yeerk carried himself, I knew that whatever the "something" was, it was significant.

I stood up and followed the sub-visser out of my quarters.

"Visser on bridge," Someone announced as I strode purposefully onto the main deck.

With a quick glance, I surveyed the bridge crew. The excitement I'd seen in the eyes of the sub-visser was evident throughout the others. I could almost smell their anticipation at my arrival.

Something was happening.

Something big.

"Report?" I asked finally.

Visser Two, my second in command approached me, arms outstretched. "Brother Yeerk, savor this day, for it is the beginning of the New Yeerk Empire!"

"Save the formalities Turin Two-Four-Zero-One." I said flatly. "I was dragged from my private chambers, I want to know why."

Visser Two nodded his human head in agreement. "Put it on the main view-screen." He instructed another Controller.

My human eyes fixed onto the view-screen and what I saw caused me to exhale so quickly, I felt as if I'd been punched in the stomach.

A ship.

The largest ship I'd ever seen.

It was shaped in a starburst pattern. Asymmetrical. It looked like someone had glued twenty waffle cones together. But twenty different colored, waffle cones, of twenty different lengths.

It was huge. Bigger than the Blade ship, and the Pool Ship combined. At the Empire's peak, the entire Yeerk Fleet could have rested comfortably inside.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Visser Two asked, sharing my astonishment. "It's abandoned," He continued. "We scanned it, no life form-readings, minimal power readings." He paused. "The ship's temperature is estimated at 51 Banak."

51 Banak. Meaning that everything inside was frozen.

I inhaled a deep breath before speaking. "So you're saying that it's ours for the taking?"

Visser Two nodded.

"But where did it come from?" I asked in absolute confusion. I was in a daze.

Visser Two shook his head. "No idea. We ran the ship design through the Blade Ship computer, but it doesn't match any of the ships in the database." He paused. "If fact, the design doesn't even remotely resemble any of them. The metals of the hull alone," he exhaled. "At least ten of them we've never seen before."

"So you think it's from beyond the reachings zero-space?"

"I believe so." He replied. " We found traces of some carbon crystals on the hull, and after dating them..." He paused. "They're very old, to say the least."

"How old?"

"We can't tell. The carbon is so different from anything we've ever come across. So the conventional techniques are bound to error. But it's old. _Very _old."

I felt giddy. A ship, a ship larger than anything I'd ever seen.

And it was ours for the taking.

"Bring us in closer to the ship," I ordered one of the bridge crew.

He obeyed and we glided slowly towards the craft.

"My god," I murmured. The closer we came, the larger it looked.

We were a mere 20 perkits (A/N: a perkit is a Yeerk unit of measurement) from touching the hull.

It was an awesome sight.

"Visser!" A gruff Hork Bajir alerted me. "We are receiving a transmission."

A transmission? But how? The ship was unoccupied!

"Raise shields, power dracon cannons." I ordered. "As for the transmission, put it on the secondary viewing screen," I instructed. "But leave the ship's image on the main."

Whatever was happening, I needed to see the ship. If it attacked, we'd be ready.

The Hork-Bajir obeyed my directions, and I turned my attention to the secondary screen.

A five-limbed green creature returned my gaze.

"I am Efflit One-Three-One-Eight of the Sulp Niar Pool, Commander of this Vessel." I spoke in Galard, the universal space language. "Tell me your name."

The green creature ignored my instructions and gazed at me fretfully.

"Sena Redan Fin-Va." The creature murmured incoherently.

"I cannot understand you," I spoke this time in Yeerk. "I am Efflit-

But the creature continued speaking, paying no heed to me.

"Re lexa tron fin so tron Phalanx." His voice rose passionately. " Freta ed re! Ni supa bri ope, Trapli! Ni supa bri ope!"

It suddenly occurred to me that this creature did not listen because it was not real.

We were watching a recording.

My suspicion was confirmed as the green creature's figure was replaced with another image. My heart nearly stopped, and I heard my host whimpering in a distant corner of my mind as we felt the cruelty of the new image.

As we felt the hate.

The pure evilness of it.

The thing was huge, made of nothing and everything. Its form was indistinguishable, and the only features I could clearly make out where its large red eyes.

As I watched, thick bolts of blue light seemed to ripple through its form. The light grew brighter and brighter until it's image in the viewing screen glowed so brightly that I had to shield my eyes.

Then suddenly it was gone and the green creature was peering at us once again.

"Se fea ca One, tron Soulstealer. Se detru tron Phalanx." The green creature spoke once more. "Ni supa bri ope! Ca One detru! Detru! Detru! Ni supa bri ope!"

As suddenly as the transmission had started it stopped.

The bridge was silent for a moment, trying to understand _what_ we'd just seen.

"I believe that recording was intended for another of the green creature's kind," I said finally. I stared thoughtfully at the main view-screen, at the huge alien ship. "Perhaps this message was to explain what happened to the ship. To explain to the others of its kind." The more I spoke, the more I was comforted by my own reason. "This ship is old and all that is left of it is arcane memories. We have nothing to fear from it."

I turned to my second in command. "Visser Two," I ordered him. "Prepare a boarding party of ten.. You will lead it."

Visser Two nodded.

"I will be in my Quarters," I addressed the bridge. "Contact me when you're ready to board."

I retired to the Captain's Quarters with a smile plastered across my host's face.

(Well that takes care of one of my problems, Regan) I gloated to my host. (Now we'll just have to see about finding more hosts.)

And for once, Regan was silent.

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wow! that was really long! I think that's the longest chapter I've written so far!

Ever!

and this is the longest story I've written ever too! (it really does help to outline the story).

anyways, now that you've read this could you please take a moment and answer these questions? (please review?)

Do the Yeerks seem Yeerkish enough? (they're a bit nicer than Visser Three ever was mainly b/c there's so few of them that the Visser's can't just kill their minions.) Did ya'll get that with the alien ship and everyzhing?

and please gimme your honest opinion. If the Yeerks stunk, I'll fix 'em

thanks sooooo soooooo soooo much for reading this! It makes me feel all special!

please review!

DH


	7. Chapter 5: The One

Hey everybody! thanks so much for reading my story!!! J

**answering your questions/comments:**

**SimplySara:** did I say that the Yeerks were the evil villains in this story? evil laugh The real villain of my story is introduced here. The poor little Yeerkies are just "victims of circumstance" .... cough. cough yeah even I don't believe that!

So does the One seem uh- villain-ain enough? (villain-ain, gawd I sound like Ax!) anyways, thanks much for R&R!

**weetzybat:** yeah, actually that warning recording w/the Phalanx: I started really thinking about it after you mentioned that earlier in a review. I mean I knew that I wanted to have a warning, but I was going to do something gay like inscriptions on the ship...although, I still might do that, but the recording was a much better idea!

and yeah, the Yeerks can't be too evil in this story b/c the One is supposed to be my evil little guy. Two evil guys just ain't cool.

**Rachel9466:** Thanks for the long review! Me appreciate much!

And really, no one's eva written from Efflin's POV? that's odd. scratches chin hmmmmmmm

The Yeerks will get more ruthless as the story progresses, but right now they're just perdy defeated and don't have much time or resources to be.

**DID:** I'm glad you liked the card. After you didn't respond for a while, I was wondering if I weirded you out or something.

The Visser has been human for a long time, so I guess that kinda did wear off on him. (okay, that's bull, I actually just wrote and I guess he turned out more human-like than I'd originally intended. But I guess that's good, considering what's going to happen... nope! not telling, it's a secret! )

and I'm not sure I understand your question w/the star charts.

anyways, thanks for R&R!

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**Disclaimer:** Ya, uhm this chapter actually doesn't use an Animorphs words, so I don't have to have a disclaimer! So HAH! (The One is my creation! Not that buddy from the Elliminist Chronicles!)

no wait! I just typed the word Animorphs and Elliminist, darn it!

okay, fine.

I don't own the Animorphs or the Elliminist.

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The One:

I am the One.

The One who is many. The One who is all.

I am the Destroyer of Races, the Stealer of Souls, the Scourge of Galaxies.

I am the One.

And I am trapped.

For star-lives I have remained in this Phalanx ship, this free-floating prison.

The Phalanx, Redan Fin-Va, did not put me here. No, he did not trick me. I was simply careless. I acted rashly when I should have been cautious.

I will not repeat that mistake. Next time I will be careful.

I am the One.

And I am hungry.

The life-forces of the Phalanx race, rich because of their experienced and lengthy lives, satisfied my cravings for a long time.

But now I am hungry. Very hunger.

And bored.

There is little I can do to amuse myself. I have taunted my captives so often that few of them even respond.

But still, it is a way to pass the slow creep of time.

I turn inward and search inside myself. There are many here. Toltar, Squew, and countless other races that I do not know the names of.

Phalanx.

Looking carefully, I distinguish it from the others. It is a string, a tiny thread of essence, a small slip of consciousness.

A soul.

I pull on the string, forcing the essence into my presence.

(REDAN FIN-VA!) I demand of my captive. (YOUR MASTER REQUIRES YOUR COMPANIONSHIP.)

The Phalanx essence does not answer.

(REDAN FIN-VA!) I repeat.

Again, the Phalanx does not answer. It is difficult to incite a response from him. Difficult, but not impossible. It requires subtlety.

I glide purposefully around the silent ship. It is dark. Empty. Devoid of life.

Reaching a familiar hall, I allow a stronger light to radiate from my glowing red eyes.

The sickly light casts eerily throughout the hallway and off the exit panel. In places it flickers like a dying ember, as it reflects off the frozen surfaces of the ship. Everything is frozen, even the gas molecules of the air.

Even Redan Fin Va's body.

Gripping the Phalanx essence tightly, I train my sight on the frozen green corpse. I know that Redan sees what I see. Because I grasp his essence, the Phalanx looks through my eyes.

He has no other choice.

I stare at Redan's long dead body. It entombed in ice and free from decay.

(Lovely sight, isn't it?) I ask Redan's essence wistfully.

I gaze critically at the corpse's face. The mouth is contorted in a painful scream, the eyes wide with horror.

(Now what were you thinking at that moment, I wonder?)

The Phalanx essence does not answer me. But then again, I do not expect him to.

(Perhaps you were praying for peace after your death?) I ask with mock thoughtfulness.

Redan does not reply.

(But is that not what you received?) I pretend to be perplexed.

(Well peace, perhaps not ) I concede. (But you received something better. Much better. You joined with a god. You are part of the most powerful Being in the universe.)

Redan still does not reply.

As I said, it is a challenge to incite a response from him. When he was first joined to me, his angry speeches and flaming tongue greatly amused me.

I remember that time. Those first few days into space, before the ship's central heating stopped, before the craft froze over. I remember watching Redan's body die.

Those fleeting first days as the Phalanx body starved itself. Without Redan's essence the body could not function. Breath, yes. And digest.

But feed itself?

Shelter itself?

Move?

I recall how I trained my eyes on the body as it slowly died. I forced Redan's essence to watch with me.

I listened as he yelled and screamed and demanded. As the grief and pain crept into his voice.

It was all very amusing.

But that was a very long time ago.

A very long time ago.

I return my attention to the frozen green corpse and Redan's essence.

(Why do we not talk like we used to, Phalanx?) I sneer. ( I do miss the sound of your voice.)

He does not reply.

I train my eyes back at Redan's frozen body and then to the exit panel. It too is frozen over, not that it matters –the panel is locked from the outside. My only escape, and it is affixed.

I must leave this prison cell! I am hungry!

(What is that?) A hushed voice suddenly whispers.

Redan's essence?

He is speaking?

He sounds shocked.

Why?

Then I hear it too.

A low rumbling noise. Getting louder.

Then the ship rocks slightly as it impacts with another object. Most likely a small projectile. It will only alter our velocity.

But oddly I feel that we are accelerating, the velocity is _not_ constant.

(No.) Redan gasps in horror.

I watch transfixed, as the area nearest the exit panel begins to shake.

A loud pounding noise sounds from outside.

With my seeing red eyes trained on the exit panel, I feel their life-forces. I sense their souls.

Ten. No, twenty.

(NO!) Redan moans in despair. (DO NOT!)

The exit panel suddenly shatters into a thousand pieces as something cracks through the brittle metal and frozen ice.

(NO!) My captive essence pleads.

(They cannot hear you, Phalanx.) I laugh.

I glide swiftly away from the shattered exit panel. Out of the viewing area. I do not wish to prematurely alarm my new quarry.

I am hunger, but I will not be careless.

Not this time.

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okay, I'm not sure if that's how I wanted to portray the One or not. He's supposed to be an evil dude, so I don't want anyone sympathize with him. Did anyone?

do ya'll think he's evil enough? He's supposed to be morbid and have this sick sense of humor, and like to do the cat-mouse thing. Does that seem that way to ya'll? Or do I need to take it up a notch?

do ya'll get all that about Redan's essence and Redan's body and stuff?

Anyways, thank you so much for reading this! I really really appreciate it! Now if you'd please review, so I know you're reading this, that'd be great! Even if you just wanna type "hi."

Gracias!

DH


	8. a lame excuse

hey guys!  


I just wanted to give ya'll a quick update, so that ya'll don't think I've disappeared or something!

This chapter is giving me alotta problems writing! I wouldn't call it writer's block, more like writer's indecision

short version: I'll get it up as soon as it seems good.

long version: I know what I wanna write, its just writing it that's the problem. First I couldn't think of which perspective to write from. It took me 4 different outlines before I found the right perspective. Then, after writing some of it, I realized that it was too "magical." Everything that happened in the chapter seemed like a crappy episode of Charmed.

So then I tried to make it sound more sci-fi like. I researched stuff. (don't get too impressed, I just re-read through my old Physics notes). So then I wrote it with lots of technical background, only after I finished, it was so dry, I thought I was reading a lab manual! So now I'm in the process of re-writing. AGAIN. 

so yeah, I'm trying really hard to get it up and working.

So as to when that'll happen is anyone's guessbut I'm hoping that oughta be soon.

sorry.

but thanks again to all of ya'll who are reading! I really appreciate it!

: )

DH


	9. Chapter 6: Efflit

Hello everybody! It's been quite awhile, hasn't it?

**Answering your questions/comments**

First off... THANKS SO MUCH TO Asmodeus1389 and especially Lady Chocho for inspiring me to take another stab at it! I most certainly take flames (and often they're even more encouraging for me than positive reviews) just as long as they're aimed at the story and not me.

**-Asmodeus1389: **here's the update... finally! Thanks for reading and for all the reviews! Much appreciated! I will try to be a more responsible author and not make you wait so long for the next updates!

**-Lady Chocho:** thanks for the flame! Honest, I got it right around finals week and was like-- HEY! Somebody still cares about my story?!? Awesome! Totally made me want to take another stab at this chapter (which, by then I'm written off as near impossible to write)

**-Samhain13:** thanks for the compliments! I liked the grease passages too!

**-Bird1111:** I will try to get a Tobias POV in here somewhere. And if I can't, I'll still make sure to have enough passages from him, so don't worry b/c he's not going to be left out. (Rachel would be so pissed with me if I did!)

**-weetzybat:** I told you that the ending sucked royal! And hopefully this will help you "heal" as you said... if I update regularly that would prolly help, huh? sheepish look

**-DeLorean86:** kool name! Thanks for reading : ) uh...the One is that guy at the end of #54, that suddenly appears for like two pages, but royally screws up my closure that the series ended!

**-UltraBeing:** uh, no, I've never actually read anyother of KA's books. I was so upset with the ending to Animorphs that I've boycotted her stuff ever since. (well except for Animorphs since I'd already bought the entire series... didn't want to skimp-out on my investment!)

**-icekestrel:** thanks much for reading!

**-SimplySara:** glad you liked the One. Yup! Tried super-hard to make him evil, but kinda with a personality behind it...

and I totally understand what you mean about reading books and being able to suddenly speak in tongues.... I'm wondering if my sudden writing ability (serious, just happened today) is a result of me reading bits of Tolkien for the past couple 'o weeks...

**-Midnightrose: **thanks for reading! And yeah, I totally meant "The One" (dumb-me!) thanks for noticing that! I totally corrected it!

**-DID:** man! You are psychic or something! The double essences...read on, I think you'll get a kick out of what happens with that! (although, that part shouldn't appear until chapter 8, but I already finished with chappie 7, so it oughta be up soon)

**-Dr. Billy Bobby Bob:** Thanks for reading! I'm glad you like the suspense! I'm trying to make the less exciting parts as suspenseful as possible, so they're not too boring to read.

**-Elendil Star-Lover: **Thanks for trying out my FF. The One (the dude who killed them in the last book) was never eva explained (grrrr!) which is why I was so upset, that I was driven to writing Ani-fanfic!

**-Brutal2003:** glad you liked Chapter 5, and I'm totally sorry for making you wait for chapter 6. (bad me!) I also wanted to thank you for all the reviews that you gave me in all the other chapters, b/c they were super-appreciated!

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**Disclaimer:** if Animorphs belonged to me, then the series would still be running!

But it doesn't.

Pooh,.

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on the Blade ship:

"My patience is running thin sub-visser 15," I growled to the Hork Bajir Controller at the helm.

I was standing on the bridge of the Blade ship waiting to dock with the large alien craft. The bridge crew had located the single entrance to the ship, and had unsuccessfully tried to dock with the other ship for nearly an hour.

"With due respect Visser One, we are trying the best that we can," sub-visser 15 quickly replied. "But something on the other ship is making it impossible to create a magnetic lock."

Impossible to create a magnetic lock? That certainly was odd.

The Blade ship docked with other ships by extending a long tube, the docking terminal, and magnetically sealing it at the other end. The result was something like an airport terminal between the two ships.

Or it was supposed to be.

"Visser, I believe that the metals on the hull may be diamagnetic because the other ship is repelling our magnetic lock."

Repelling the magnetic lock?

I softly swore under my breath.

(Oh, poor Efflit. ) My host, Regan, crooned. (Doesn't look like you're going to get your dream ship after all.)

(Shut up Regan!) I retorted angrily.

"Did you try a pressure seal?" I asked sub-visser 15 wearily.

The Hork Bajir appeared startled. "Why didn't I think of that?" He asked in surprise.

"Because you're stupid." I replied dryly.

Sub-visser 15 issued a few orders and I felt the ship sway slightly as the docking terminal contacted the alien ship.

"Visser we have made contact with the alien vessel." Sub-visser 15 announced. "We are now pumping out the air in the docking terminal. This will reduce the pressure between our ship and the alien craft and create a pressure lock."

" I know how a pressure seal works," I snapped in exasperation. "Don't tell me what you're doing, only if its working!"

"Yes Visser, of course." The Hork Bajir replied quickly.

I drummed my human fingers impatiently on a console.

"Visser, we have successfully created a pressure seal to the alien ship," one of the bridge crew announced. "Docking is complete."

About time.

I nodded to sub-visser 15. "Tell Visser Two that his boarding party may proceed. Put his video unit on the main viewing screen."

I turned to stare at the main viewing screen where Visser Two's video unit was projecting. Through the eyes of the video unit, I could see everything that he could.

There were ten Controllers on screen. All humans. As the temperature readings we'd gotten from the other ship indicated that it was extremely cold, they were all dressed in thermal suits, complete with protective helmets and air packs. Each Controller carried a dracon beam, a flashlight, and a hand-held scanner. In addition, each of the boarding party had a video unit attached to their helmets and a helmet radio.

"Air packs on," Visser Two instructed his team. "Follow me."

The team entered the docking terminal and in a short minute, they'd reached the end of the hall and were staring at the smooth, undulating surface of the black alien vessel. The surface was flawless, polished like a giant marble counter-top, but oddly did not reflect. In fact, the surface was the dullest I'd ever seen, seeming to absorb all the light around it.

"You are sure there is that the ship entrance is located here?" I asked quietly over the radio link.

Visser Two, hearing my question through his helmet radio nodded. "A ship-wide scan of the outer hull located a small indention at this specific spot." Visser Two turned to one of the members of his team. "Yaban Three-Four-Four-Nine, prepare to blast."

Yaban Three-Four-Four-Nine, a gangly human with stringy brown hair approached the hidden doorway. In his gloved hands he carried three round metallic objects which he positioned in a triangular pattern onto the dull black surface of the alien ship.

"Thermal blast units in place, Visser Two," Yaban reported. "Particle shielding online. I am awaiting your orders."

"Blast." Visser Two commanded.

A sudden spray of frozen ice and jagged chunks of the dull black metal erupted from where Yaban had activated the blasting units. A large, elliptical hole was jaggedly etched into the black frame.

The Controllers, protected from the explosion by the particle shield, waited impassively for the rubble to settle.

When the debris from the blast had finally cleared, Visser Two turned to his team. "We have determined that this ship is abandoned, but do not be over-confident. This is still an unknown alien craft and we must remain alert."

Stooping lowly, Visser Two made his way through the newly carved entrance, careful to avoid its jagged edges. A rip in the Controller's thermal suit would ensure an immediate death as the icy cold leaked in and instantly froze its wearer.

I heard a stark clanging as Visser Two's booted foot landed onto the deck of the alien ship. The noise was repeated nine more times as the remainder of the party followed.

"Wow, this is amazing." Visser Two murmured over his radio unit.

The lighting in the ship was poor and the video unit was not returning a very good picture, but I even so, I could still just make out the gleaming outlines of the inside of the alien craft.

The Controllers were standing in the middle of a long corridor with tall arched ceilings. The hall was constructed of the same seamless metal as on the outer hull but it was toned of a deep red color, like onto the hue of red wine. The entire corridor was covered in a thick layer of ice, which intensified the colorings of the scarlet-washed walls. Here and there the weak, ambling light from one of the Controllers' flashlights winked off the crystalline surface of the ice, so that the effect was that the Controllers seemed encased in a giant ruby cage.

The sight was beautiful, beautiful but awe striking at the same time. Even Regan, my host, was (for once) at a loss for words.

Visser Two and his party moved further from the blasted entrance, and the video image became even poorer as it lost the light that spilled in from the docking terminal.

"Visser!" A startled voice called over the radio links. "Sir, I think you need to see this."

Visser Two moved to source of the voice. "Yes Omeria Seven-One-Five?"

Omeria, sub-visser 67, motioned with her fully helmeted human head, and Visser Two followed the direction of her gaze.

There was a collective gasp from the Controllers on the alien craft and from those watching the view-screen on the Blade Ship Bridge.

It was the green creature.

The creature that had appeared on the warning message just a few short hours ago.

The thing was dead, enshrouded in ice and perfectly whole, perfectly intact. It was like we were staring at a museum exhibit inside a glass casing.

"Look at his face," Omeria whispered.

The creature was foreign to me, I'd never encountered its like before, but even so I could read the expression of pure terror written into its facial features as clearly as I could feel my host's terror radiating beneath my palps.

Visser Two remained in front of the green creature, staring as if he were in a trance. Finally he shook himself. " I want everyone to split up into groups of five." Omeria you will lead one group." Omeria nodded. "Spread out and search the ship, but maintain radio contact. And be careful," he added, almost an after-thought.

The party split into two groups according to Visser Two's directive. Omeria's team headed down the left end of the hall and Visser Two's took the right.

"Sub-visser 15," I directed the Hork Bajir on the bridge. "I want to see both of their viewing units."

The Hork Bajir, performed a quick action on his console and the main viewing screen was subdivided into two sections: one video following Omeria's progress and the other tracking Visser Two's.

Omeria's team passed quietly down the left side of the frozen red hallway. The smooth walls were unbroken, but for the inconsistencies in the ice coverage. As the five Controllers turned a bend they were suddenly greeted by a large oval shaped room.

The space was largely empty but for an odd collection of cylindrical objects mounted in the center.

Omeria cautiously approached the objects. "Now what are these, I wonder?" She asked aloud.

"Should I scan them, sub-visser 67?" One of the other Controllers in her party questioned.

Omeria nodded, and the Controller moved to the nearest cylinder. It was tall, taller than the human Controller, and like everything else they'd seen, of the same deep wine color and layered with ice crystals.

"Sub-visser," the Controller reported. "I am picking up growing energy readings."

Energy readings?

From my position on the Blade Ship, I turned to the helm. "I thought that the Blade Ship found no energy readings," I said in confusion.

The Hork Bajir at the helm, sub-visser 15, returned my confounded gaze. "No sir, we did not pick up any energy readings." His frown deepened. "And we still don't."

"Sub-visser 67," I called to Omeria over the radio links. "The Blade Ship does not confirm your energy readings. Perhaps your equipment is faulty."

On the view screen, Omeria shook her head. "With all due respect Visser One, my scan matches, and the readings are the same as the rest of my team. We're all picking up an alternating current with maximum amplitude of 300 megaFreads, no 350 megaFreads."

"Visser Two," I radioed to the other team on the deserted alien craft. "Can you confirm Omeria's energy readings?"

Visser Two's party had wandered down the right side of the corridor and were now investigating a smaller oval shaped room akin to Omeria's.

"Visser One, I can confirm Omeria's energy readings. But I'm only reading 50 megaFreads." Visser Two replied over his radio link.

"We can't confirm that either," the Hork Bajir at the Blade Ship helm said wearily. "In fact, we can't even confirm that they're on the alien ship!"

I flashed sub-visser 15 a scathing look.

"I'm sorry Visser One," the Hork Bajir stated apologetically. "According to the Blade Ship computer there is no life on the alien vessel, including our Controllers."

Something was altering our readings then. Something on the alien craft.

I returned my attention to Omeria's group. "Visser One," Omeria addressed me over her radio link "we've reached 425 megaFreads and its still increasing. I --"

Omeria stopped short and gasped.

The oval room was suddenly filled with a blinding light, overpowering everything else.

"Oh my --" Omeria's voice started in shrill terror.

Then the video unit of Omeria's team suddenly blacked out and her radio link went dead.

And we were left with the echo of her cries, resounding in our minds.

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there, that's a semi-long chappie...

hope you enjoyed! (and that there wasn't too much info in this chapter!)

I've got the next chapter, written and rearing to go.. so that oughta be up in a short bit!

Anyways please review!

-was it too scientific? (no one got a headache reading it, did they?)

-did it move the plot, or was it too slow?

-did you catch all that at the beginning about the docking terminal and such? (If that was way too complicated, or too much of a waste of reading, I'll get rid of it!)

anyways... thanks much for reading!

DH


	10. Chapter 7:Efflit

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

**Answering your questions/comments:**

**Lady Chocho:** You're much welcomed! And thanks much for the quick review! (how'd you get that up so fast? _I_ couldn't even access the new chappie that fast!)

**The check-out counter girl:** you liked the pressure lock? scratches head in confusion I thought that'd bore ppl to death and only after much deliberation included that part b/c I couldn't get around it!

**Brutal2003:** aww... thanxs! Thanks for the review and the totally laid-back attitude... really stress-relieving!

**Anonymous-cat:** thanks for reading my story! I really appreciate it and I'll try to update more often.. if its possible...

**Weetzybat:** is that _sarcasm_ I'm hearing? Be careful or I'll sic my pupster on you! (and then you'll be sorry! He'll lick you to death! evil laugh hahahahaha!)

And you liked the pressure lock? That was the part that was holding me up.. I was like, DH, nobody's gonna wanna read about something that dull! It's like reading someone's lab manual for cryin out loud!

**Rachel9466:** there, did I get the numbers right this time? sheepish look I felt pretty dumb when you told me I'd gotten your name all wrong!

-reflection in the milk: that's what I stare at every morning...

-yeah, you got me on the spelling.. what like 2 times....what can I say? I'm a moron

-and with the units, yeah that was perdy dumb too... although, I do remember thinking at some point while writing that that I should make them "Yeerk" units of distance and temperature, why I didn't I don't rightly recall. Maybe I didn't think people would recognize them... I dunno... but I'll go back and fix them sometime. Thanks for catching all that stuff! And I didn't think that was "cranky" at all... I do that ALL the time when I review other ppl... keeps the author honest and on their toes!

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**Disclaimer:** I'm really hungry and I'm going to make myself one of those bean and cheese microwave burritos as soon as I post this....mmmmm donuts.....

Yeah I don't own Animorphs. I'm starving

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On the Blade Ship:

Omeria's panicked screams rang sharply through my head.

"Omeria!" I called to Sub-visser 67 over the radio link. "Omeria! Omeria!"

Omeria did not reply.

I tried on a different radio frequency this time. "Sub-visser 67! Report!"

Still no answer.

"Omeria! Report!" I called growing desperate for her reply.

This time I was answered, but only with the loud cracklings of static.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"Sub-visser15!" I yelled sharply as I turned to the Hork Bajir at the helm of the bridge. "What in the Hell is going on?!?"

Sub-visser 15 returned my frustrated gaze. "Visser One, I can't contact a single member of Omeria's team." He reported. "I've tried hailing them over all the common frequencies, but they are not responding. For unknown reasons, their radio and video units are off-line."

Off-line?

"Visser Two," I said, turning my attention to those remaining on the alien vessel. "Can you contact Omeria?"

There was a short delay as he tried.

"Negative." Visser Two paused. "Efflit, I don't like this," he said anxiously over his helmet radio.

His group of five Controllers, stood nervously in the smaller red oval room.

"Neither do I." I replied grimly. "But this is _our_ ship now." I reminded him. "Take your team and try to find out what happened."

Watching the main viewing screen, I followed Visser Two and the other four Controllers as they made their way back to the blasted entrance. The group then turned right and headed down the hall where Omeria's team had traversed.

It was eerily quiet. The alien craft had no air so sound waves were only propagated through the metal floor and the Yeerk's thermal suits, making the clamping of the Controllers' boots strangely muted.

The five turned a bend in the iced red passageway and were faced with the entrance to the larger oval shaped room.

"This is where we last heard from Omeria," I cautioned Visser Two over his helmet radio.

He nodded, and his team hesitantly filed into the room.

"Dirty Andalite!" Someone cursed in shock.

There was Omeria and the other four Controllers, strewn mercilessly across the floor of the ruddy oval room.

Visser Two cautiously approached Omeria's body. It was lying face down on the frozen metallic floor. The same technology that heated the thermal boots also insulted the outer coverings of the thermal suit, so although Omeria's body contacted the frozen surface of the floor, it did not freeze to it.

Visser Two tentatively prodded the body. "She's breathing," he reported in relief. Then he reached for her body and gently rolled her over.

And gasped in horror. "Look at her face!"

Omeria's face was twisted in violent pain, her unblinking eyes shining in unseen terror, and her lips forced into a soundless scream.

"Dirty Andalite." Visser Two muttered under his breath in abject disgust.

Never had I viewed such an intense look of pain or fear. Even under Esplin's totalaristic rule, and his merciless executions, I had never seen the degree of terror that was painted across Omeria's face.

The sight of Omeria was sickening. I felt bile rising up my host's esophagus, and it took a few moments of concentration to force it back down.

And yet she was breathing. She was alive.

Visser Two lightly shook her body. He tapped her shoulder and rapped upon her helmet. He called her name several times.

But Omeria did not respond. She did not even blink.

Visser Two finally raised his eyes from the sight. "Yaban?" He called to another of his team. "How are the others?"

The other four Controllers were in the same state as Omeria. Slumped on the frozen metallic ground and unmoving, their faces disfigured in pain and fear. They were breathing and had strong pulses, and yet nothing Visser Two or his team did could rouse them.

"It's no use, we can't wake them." Visser Two decided finally. "We'll take them back to the Blade Ship."

We couldn't afford to lose any Yeerk or any hosts. We were too few.

"Do we know what caused this yet?" I questioned.

"No, we're working on it," Visser Two replied.

The rest of his team was scattered about the oval room, searching for any clues that could explain what had befallen Omeria and her party.

**"**Visser!" Yaban suddenly interrupted. "My scanner is picking up an increase in the amplitude of the alternating current."

Visser Two turned to face Yaban, his face paling.

"Visser, the amplitude is increasing-- and quickly."

Just like Omeria's group before they'd been attacked.

Remembering Omeria's face, I quickly made up my mind to abandon the investigation into her attack. Preservation of those who were still able-bodied was much more important.

"Get out of there!" I commanded Visser Two and his team over the radio links.

Without need for further urgings, the five Controllers fled the red oval room, leaving Omeria and the other four bodies. The Controllers re-entered the smooth red-flushed hallway and raced down it, back tracking to the blasted entrance.

As they ran, Yaban called out his scan-readings. "250 megaFreads! 275! 294!"

The five reached a fork in hall and Visser Two plunged right. "This way!" he gasped. "We're almost there!"

A steady beating sound accompanied the wheezed breathing of the running Controllers, and I recognized it as my frantically pumping heart.

Hurry!

Hurry!

"365! 380! 396!" Yaban yelped.

They had nearly reached the entrance now. I could see it at the horizon of the main view screen.

"415! 425!"

"What's that light?" Visser Two yelled.

The scarlet-flushed hallways slowly filled with a flickering blue light. The light pulsed steadily like blood through an artery.

They were almost at the entrance. I could see it clearly now, and into the docking terminal beyond.

"465!" Yaban's voice shrilled. "465! It's holding steady! Why's it holding steady?" He asked in confusion.

Then we saw it.

A flickering blue creature with flashing red eyes.

Its form was indistinguishable-- a transparent cloud composed of a swirling mixture of sapphire, azure, and cobalt. As the colors swam in the mist of blue, flashes of light like tongues of flame rippled throughout the creature's body. The effect was like viewing a floating body of water shimmering under the noon sun.

The creature was beautiful, until you noticed its eyes. Red. Glowing. Cruel. They gleamed with an ungodly light and were the only portion of the creature that seemed to have any substance.

With those cruel lidless eyes, the creature leered at the Controllers.

Its prey.

"RUN!" I yelled.

But the creature was blocking the exit.

"Dracons!" Visser Two commanded, as he fumbled for his own. Grasping it his gloved hands he trained it on the creature. "Fire!"

Five beams of deadly Dracon fire soared towards the leering monster.

All five passed harmlessly through the blanket of blue mist, scorching the frozen bulkhead behind it and sending up a cloud of vapor, but leaving no noticeable hurts on the creature itself.

The blue thing approached the five unhurried, seeming to glide over the smooth red floor of the corridor.

"Fire again!" Visser Two yelled.

Again, the Dracons emitted their deadly red lasers, but the weapons seemed to have no effect on the monster, and slid through the lucid blue field effortlessly.

"Fire at will!" Visser Two directed and intermittent beams of red flame were hurled at the blue creature.

Each blast proved as ineffective as the previous attempts.

Finally Yaban tossed his Dracon aside in disgust.

"DIE!" he screamed, as he charged the glowing blue haze. Fists raised, Yaban threw a hard blow to the creature's face, aiming for the great red eyes.

And passed through its face unhindered.

The blue creature's face twisted into an amused sneer as Yaban's face contorted in sudden pain.

Yaban screamed and suddenly stopped. I did not need to hear the dull thud as his body fell clumsily onto the hard ground to know that he was gone-- his body now reduced to the same state as Omeria's.

The blue creature gazed steadily at the remaining four Controllers. Delighting in their terror.

"RUN!" Visser Two yelled and the four fled. With Visser Two at the head they ran past the monster, aiming for the docking terminal.

A scream and a soft muted thud. The monster had felled another.

Visser Two reached the terminal. Avoiding the jagged edges of the blasted entryway, he dived into the terminal.

Another scream.

Visser Two risked a glance behind him.

Another scream.

There was the monster, with its newest victim.

Visser Two was the only one left between the monster and the Blade Ship.

"Efflit," Turin's voice called over the radio link with quiet and sudden resolve. "Get the Blade Ship out of here. Now."

"Visser Two!" I protested. "Turin don't!"

"DO IT!!!"

I turned to sub-visser 15 at the helm. "Begin the undocking sequence of the docking terminal."

I heard a rumbling noise indicating that the Hork Bajir had complied and that the undocking sequence was beginning.

My eyes were glued to the main screen.

Visser Two calmly approached the blue monster. I watched as he passed out of the docking terminal and back through the blasted entrance. His booted feet clanged lightly as he entered the red hall.

"Perhaps you can defeat a Dracon beam or a Human Controller." Visser Two said quietly. "But how do you feel against a polar bear?"

White fur sprouted over Visser Two's face as he began the morph.

"TURIN DON'T!" I screamed.

But it was too late.

I heard a crunching noise as Visser Two's human bulk suddenly increased by a factor of more than ten, and a sickening rip as his human-sized thermal suit did not.

The tear in the thermal suit was probably small, but even a small nick would cause the air in the suit to leak out, and the deadening cold to leak in.

In a matter of seconds Visser Two was dead.

(Author's note: normally, I'd make this a new chappie, but I don't feel like it!)

I stared at the view-screen dumbly.

Visser Two was gone.

His video monitor was still active, although it was now positioned towards the ground.

I watched the monitor grow brighter, as the creature passed by Turin's body.

(I am hungry, but it is dead.) I heard a dark voice ooze, in a tone that made my blood freeze. Regan whimpered in the corner of my mind. (What a waste.)

The blue light continued past the body.

Turin's body.

"VISSER ONE!" The urgency in Sub-visser 15's tone was pressing.

I looked up slowly at the Hork Bajir.

"Visser, the docking terminal is not responding!" He cried. "I have re-pressurized the docking terminal, to counter the pressure seal, but the terminal will not move!"

I stared at him, unfathoming.

"The alien vessel is forcing a magnetic lock on it. We _cannot_ remove the docking terminal!" he continued in a frantic voice.

As if to highlight the urgency of the situation, the Hork Bajir changed the perspective on the main-viewing screen. I was now seeing the docking terminal with the evil blue creature heading down the hall towards the sealed entryway of the Blade Ship.

"Can it get inside the ship?" I asked wearily.

Could it enter the sealed entryway?

Sub-visser 15 shrugged, helplessly. "I have no idea."

"Let's assume the worst-- that it can."

It was silent as my words filled the bridge. My words and their implications.

The creature would reach the entryway any second. If it could open the door-- it would be a genocide. The New Yeerk Empire would be obliterated. All the hosts. All the Yeerks. Dead.

I cursed Esplin-Nine-Four-Double-Six once more. For under the former Visser's decree, the Blade Ship did not contain escape pods. That fool, Esplin, believed that a retreat was more shameful than a loss.

Evacuation of the Blade Ship then was not an option.

"If we fired up the Blade Ship and tore the docking terminal off?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"All the air in this ship would immediately escape and we'd all die." The Hork Bajir answered hopelessly. "Not to mention the sudden pressure loss would cause our veins to explode."

I stared back at the view-screen. The creature had reached the end of the terminal and the Blade ship entryway.

I held my breath. Would the creature be able to enter?

The door through the entryway slid open effortlessly.

Like the docking terminal, it too was magnetic.

"Dirty Andalite!" I swore out loud.

The creature was now inside the Blade Ship. It was in the Pressurization Chamber, a small enclosed room between the docking terminal and access to the Ship itself, but it was only a matter of time now before the creature reached us.

The doors of the Pressurization Chamber, like all the other entrances on the Blade Ship operated under magnetic laws.

(Author's note: the docking terminal has a "Pressurization Chamber," think of a Decontamination room. I explained how the Chamber worked in the last chappie, but later axed it b/c I thought it'd bore ppl to tears. Perdy much: you lower the pressure in the docking terminal. The Controllers go into the Pressurization Chamber and the pressure is altered to that of the docking terminal. The Chamber leads into the docking terminal, and this is the only way in or out of the docking terminal. (the whole point of the Chamber is to ensure that the pressure inside the Blade Ship and the docking terminal are not affected by passage to or from either.))

"Sub-visser 15, take Security and get down to the docking terminal and hold that _thing_ off for as long as you can!" I ordered.

The Hork Bajir nodded and taking seven Controllers from the bridge left.

I addressed those remaining. There were ten: 4 Hork Bajir and 6 humans. "Come with me, all of you, our biggest priority is for our defenseless brethren in the Pool."

I left my bridge then, and headed for the Pool Room. The lights in the halls were flashing in orange alert, and everywhere Human and Hork Bajir Controllers scrambled in a frantic rush.

From somewhere on the ship I heard screaming.

It was on the ship then.

Calling up all the courage I possessed, I forced myself to ignore those death-cries, to counter the rising fear that was threatening to overthrow me.

Reaching the Pool Room, I sealed the magnetic doors behind me, and with them the cries of those outside.

"We know that the creature can manipulate the magnetic door-locks," I explained to the ten fearful Controllers behind me. "So we must also barricade the door. Use anything you can find to do this!" I instructed them.

Chairs, tables, spare Kandrona disks, pool purifiers, using everything we could find we formed a small barricade.

When we had finished, I sat back to wait the inevitable.

Visser Two had dubbed this day as the beginnings of the New Yeerk Empire.

Today would most likely be its fall.

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Tech-Notes: I'm a geek and had to reason this stuff to myself... if anyone cares:

1. The "pressure seal" on the docking terminal has a "release" valve, so that when the Controllers blasted open the alien ship, the sudden pressure flow from the alien ship to the pressure-less docking terminal didn't blast the terminal off.

2. The "sound" of clanking boots from the Controllers walking on the alien craft or the thud of falling bodies comes from the sound waves of the striking object reverberating through the metal floor, through the Controller's thermal suits and through the air inside the suits to their ears (and hence the radio units and back to the Blade Ship). It is not heard in the same way as we're used to b/c the alien vessel does not have air to propagate sound waves.

I tried to make the only "sounds" that Efflit hears over the radio come from objects striking metal.

3. The alien vessel is way..way.. below freezing, but the Controller's thermal suits do not freeze to it b/c the outer surface of their suits are specially insulated with materials that have an extremely low freezing point. (This also keeps the suits from freezing in place). However, a small rip in the thermal suits (which would be made of very strong, but supple material) would allow the temperature inside the suit to drop dramatically. It would also force all the air the Controllers breath out of the suit, and the pressure inside the suit would drop as the air escaped. So essentially Visser Two dies from: cold, no air, no pressurization forcing his blood to explode his veins.... Although, considering that he'd be frozen as soon as the temperature drops (anyone else ever play with liquid Nitrogen?) how he dies is prolly anyones guess...

4.The alien ship is "diamagnetic" b/c the One is repelling the magnetic force himself. He's a master of magnetism and other things, besides, but I'm not going to say more about that.

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So.. yeah, this was kinda long and stuff, but what the heck! And since I was actually admonished for thinking of cutting a lot of the tech-stuff, I went ahead and just wrote everything that I was thinking down here....

Uhmmm yeah, so's I did a lot of the "science" fiction part, but if anyone ever thinks that I've maybe gone over the top with the tech-crap just lemme know! (this it the kinda stuff I do at school everyday, so's I'm so ingrained in it that I don't know when to stop anymore... can anyone guess my major?)

Yeah, but so... the next chappie will hopefully be up sometime within the next year... (j/k ya'll! I'll make it sooner than that!) I think I might do one more of the Efflit chappies or just go ahead and leave ya'll hangin as I move to another POV.

Anyways, I'd much appreciate it if you'd review so's I know ppl's are reading this...(come on, if I spent x # of hours writing this, can't you spend 30 seconds writing "DH I think you need to get off you acid-trip?") pretty please!!! I'd luv you forever!

DH


	11. Chapter 8: Efflit

OMG! OMG! OMG! The stupid chappie's all finished! HOORAY!!!! Ya'll wouldn't believe how long I'm been working on this! Seriously, like every free moment I get! (And now it's Spring Break, so those free moments are so much longer! But I was a little upset, because I was aiming to get this done by my birthday, but that didn't happen. And then I tried to get it done before Spring Break, but that didn't happen either-- but so ya'll get it during Spring Break, and I hope's you enjoy it!!!!!)

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Thank you to everybody who reviewed! (Makes me feel all appreciated and stuff). And to make ya'll feel all appreciated (because I REALLY REALLY do appreciate that ya'll take time to read this!)

**answering your questions/comments:**

**Lady Choco:** you're welcome for the update! And here's another! And hopefully update 11 shouldn't be too far off

**Rachel9466:** Yeah, I've done that rereading stuff without realizing it before. There's this one book in the library that I swear I've read about 4 or 5 times now and everytime I read it, about half-way through my "new" book, I realize that I've already read it before! (What can I say, I'm horrible with remembering titles and author names and character namesÉ. Which is prolly why Efflit morphed into Efflin in one of those chappies). But anyways, I'd don't mind if you re-read and re-review my story! Feel free to do that as often as you want to! Goes off to stare at her reflection in her malted milkshake

**Anonymous-cat:** Darned it! I was hoping that no one would pick that up until I'd gotten to write that scene! Yes, the One does suck the souls and the Yeerks get the bodies. But don't worry, after you caught that I was like "DH, you need to have some other suspense-stuff to keep A-Cat interested," so I added a couple o' tricks that I hope you'll likeÉ so now you've gotta keep you're eyes peeledÉ.

**g21lto:** That's an interesting pen-name. Does it stand for anything or did you just do a random type? Yeah, I liked the Regan/Visser One banter too. Sigh, gonna miss that! It was very-uh- stress relieving. (I just wrote Visser One as myself when I'm totally PMS'ingÑand yeah, you prolly wanted to know that, huh?) Thanks for reading!

**madzles:** Thanks for reading! Yeah, what you said about the Yeerks acting all selfless and stuff was true. My Yeerks act like that b/c they have to (Visser One can't just kill off all his minions since he's got a finite supply). But, I actually went back and revised the last chappie so's it makes more sense, except that chappie is loaded on my school-network, and I'm at home now, so's it won't be revised for at least a week when I go back to school. Also, I tried to make the Yeerks in this chapter a bit more Yeerkish, in terms of how they'd deal with the One and stuff. Tell me what you think, please!

**Anni Morph:** Thanks for reading! You keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing! (well, actually I'd keep writing anyways, but I'd appreciate your reviews!)

**Norma Lee Insane:** Glad you're liking it so far! And YES Tobias is DEFINITELY going to be in the story. (#3 was the first one I ever read and it got me hooked). Unfortunately, Tobias won't show up until Jake rounds up the troops to rescue Ax (b/c that's how KA wrote it-BOO!) But, until then, Rachel's going to narrate the next chappieÉ so that's almost as good as Birddie-boy, right? Thanks for reading!

**Samhain13:** Yep, I updated! And LOOK! I updated again! That's THREE times in a semester! Looks very proud of herself And the next chappie will come out a lot sooner than this one did, I can tell you b/c the content is a lot easier. (I don't have to worry about getting everything "just right" for the next one).

**Sparklegem:** Man, thank you so much! And thank you for looking for updates all the time! (When I read that I had this smile plastered across my face for like the next three daysÉ.prolly creeped a couple ppl out too, me walking around campus looking like The Joker!) But you know what's funny? I got your last review like RIGHT before I was about to post this!

**Britz:** Hey thanks for reading! I was super surprised that you reviewed this after I flamed your sex-scenes in your Halloween Special. But yeah, welcome aboard. Critical comments are always appreciated! So feel free to return the flame-favor.

**Robyn:** Hey, a new face! Did you just join the Ani-support group on or have you been here for a while? I know EXACTLY how you mean about the cliffie. I was pretty-well-uh, I was crying about Rachel dying and then when all that crummy stuff happened to everyone else let's just say that I've NEVER forgiven KA. Haven't even tried one of her other series (which I was planning on doing until I read that ending). Yeah, but glad you're reading and that you liked the Ax/Jake heart scene. I was trying to write Jake without making him _too_ pathetic...which I totally thought he was after what KA did to him! Thanks for reading!

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**Disclaimer:** Don't ever rake your lawn the day before a thunderstorm. Because the next day you wake up and it looks like you haven't done a thing, but you're too sore to move. (Not that that happened to me).

Yeah, and I don't own Animorphs.

Oh, and everyone vote for my man John (Sinatra with the orange hair) on Idol on Tuesdays!

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In the Pool Room:

Without realizing it, I chewed at my lower lip in growing anxiety. What was happening out there? Where was the blue creature? Would it enter the Pool Room?

Would any of us survive the assault?

Would I survive?

It was almost an hour now, almost an hour since we had barricaded ourselves inside the Pool Room. What had happened outside itsconfines, I had no idea. We had lost all communication with the rest of the Blade Ship almost immediately after barring the entryway.

The Pool Room was hushed, silent, but for the steady humming of the single Kandrona and the unsteady breathing of the other Controllers--the six Humans and four Hork Bajir. Beneath the calm amber waters of the Yeerk Pool, the seven hundred free Yeerks swam peacefully, unaware of the danger that now threatened the ship and their very existence.

With the other Controllers, I stood at strained attention, my Dracon beam trained to the single entrance and the expected attack. I could feel my heart drumming wildly to the frantic rhythm of my ragged breathing, and I could feel perspiration licking at my clammy palms.

But there was nothing left to do.

Absolutely nothing.

We could only wait.

Just wait.

The seconds crept by in halting protest as we prepared for our inevitable doom. The still air was thick with dreadful uncertainty, and I felt I waged an internal battle between growing impatience for something to happen and growing apprehension of what that something would be.

(You will die today, Efflit! ) Regan cackled gleefully, burning with eager anticipation. (You slimy Yeerks will finally get yours! )

(Quiet FOOL! ) I snapped in irritation. I wished I could silence his voice, and I tried to ignore him, but like venom his words penetrated to my very core.

We _were_ going to die today. And it was all myfault. All _my_ fault. If only I had been more cautious. If only I had used better judgment. I never should have tried to take the alien vessel. I never should have allowed Visser Two and his team onto it.

And now the Empire would pay for my lack of foresight.

(Long life to the New Yeerk Empire) Regan sang mockingly. (Hail to Efflit, its fallen ruler! )

(I said BE QUIET! )

(Hail Efflit! ) Regan trilled ever louder.

Still holding the Dracon beam, I stared thoughtfully at the weapon in hand. For one mad instant, I envisioned turning it on him, boring through the host's temple and silencing the voice within. Although I'd die in the process, at least I'd be released from his infuriating whine and this nerve-racking wait.

(Go ahead and do it. ) Regan said sharply.

Startled, I realized that I hadn't blocked his access to my thoughts.

(Do it. ) Regan pushed. (Kill me. )

The urgency evident in his voice was not surprising. The coward was terrified of the blue creature.

(You fear a painful death. ) I stated in disgust. (You'd rather die by your own hand than face that monster. )

I too was fearful of the blue creature-- of what it would do to me and to my ship. But I would not opt for the easy way out, sniveling in fright like a small pup terrified of its own shadow.

Regan chuckled dryly, confirming what I'd known all along. (You humans truly are a spineless race. ) I sneered in contempt.

The amusement drained from Regan's voice. (You misunderstand me, Efflit. ) He said somberly. (I do not fear death, even one so painful. )

I sneered. (For someone who doesn't fear a painful death, you sure seem anxious to avoid one. )

(No, I embrace death. ) Regan replied, almost to himself. His voice took on a strangely reflective tone. (I have waited for so long. For so many years. So many long years. ) He sighed thoughtfully, speaking to himself now. (This is my way out. It's finally here. I'll be free. I'll get to be with my wife and kid again. )

From his memories, I knew that Regan had a family, that Regan and his wife were infested at the same time. I knew that Regan's wife had died in the bombing of the California Yeerk Pool, and that Regan's son had disappeared.

Regan was quiet for a few moments, and I felt the gears in his brain whirling at full speed. He was plotting something.

It didn't take very long for me to guess what that something was.

(Efflit, I know we are not the best of friends. ) Regan began, carefully choosing his words. (Well perhaps not even friends since I hate you and you hate me, but I don't think that is the point right now. ) His tone drizzled with a sugary sweetness that I didn't know he even possessed. (The point is that we are going to die today. But when, is entirely up to us. We can die now in peace or later by force. ) He glazed. ( If we die now, it will be painless. Efflit I'm sure you see the sense in that, as you are _so_ intelligent. ) He oozed.

I grimaced in disgust at his syrupy compliment, but Regan didn't notice. In fact, if Regan had control of his motor functions, I'm sure he'd be flashing me a "winning" smile.

(If that blue thing is going to kill us in a short bit, anyways, why not speed it along, huh? ). He continued smoothly.

Ah, so he wasn't just scared of the blue creature, then. He was also anxious for his "freedom."

( Since our death is inevitable, why wait? ) Regan concluded smoothly.

He really made it too easy.

(Because every second that we wait makes you just a little bit more miserable. ) I replied evenly. (And that is reason enough for me. )

Regan's irritation was tangible and his honey-tongue quickly dissolved. (The Yeerk Empire is going to be destroyed! DESTROYED! DESTROYED! ) He raged. ( You Yeerks will all DIE! )

Trying to ignore Regan's now redoubled efforts, I stared dismally at the Pool entrance, and the pitiful barricade in front of it. Regan was right-- the Empire was going to be destroyed. Once the creature finished Its work outside, it'd find Its way into the Pool Room. A few stacked chairs and a pile of worn Kandrona disks would not keep It out. Delay It maybe, but not deter It.

We would be slaughtered.

I could envision the blue apparition. In my mind's eye I saw It leering in front of me. Delighting in my pain. In my fear.

At my death.

I shook myself roughly. Thoughts like that only lead to one place.

I forced my mind off of the topic, but unbidden visions of the blue creature flooded my consciousness. It was at the Pool now. I could see clearly as It glided around the tank's perimeter and waded lazily into the calm waters. In a few swift seconds, the seven hundred free Yeerks were gone. With their passing, so too passed all hopes for the Empire.

I clenched my teeth in anger. That could never happen. The Empire, my people, had to go on. No matter what, the Yeerk Empire had to survive. I'd make sure of it, even at the cost of my own life.

(Do you hear that, Regan? ) I challenged. (I'm going to fight It! )

Regan snorted. (Fight the creature? Go ahead and fight It just like Yaban and the others. ) He laughed coldly. (I don't think your ending will be any different than theirs. )

Images of lifeless, yet still-breathing bodies flashed before my eyes.

(We will see. ) I replied.

(Yes we will. ) Regan sneered. ( Why don't you just kill us now and save the creature the trouble of doing it later? )

Phap! Phap!

A dull rapping noise suddenly sounded, startling Regan and I from our debate. The rapping noise echoed throughout the silent Pool Room, and I whirled about searching for its source. I glanced from the churning Pool waters to the video-monitor mounted near the door to the barricade piled in front of the entryway. But the sound did not come from any of those places.

Phap! Phap!

It sounded again.

My eyes darted from one agitated Hork Bajir to the next, and then at the six nervous Human Controllers. Each returned my bewildered expression with palpable distress--they didn't know where the tapping had come from either.

Phap! Phap!

The rapping noise sounded again, louder than before. It took me a moment before I realized that it came from the door.

Someone was knocking on it.

(It's the creature. ) Regan stated with flustered excitement. His desperation lent his voice almost a spiritual quality as if Regan believed that the blue creature had been sent by Providence to free him.

(Well It's not getting in.) I said forcefully and focused my Dracon square with the entrance. Although missing a finger, Regan still had good aim, and so I called upon his motional memory to aid my shot.

PHAP! PHAP!

Hammered the noise.

PHAP! PHAP!

It demanded.

PHAP! PHAP!

"I know you are in there," a Hork Bajir called boldly from behind the barred entrance. "Open the door."

"Sub-Visser 15?" I asked warily. "Is that you?"

"Yes," the voice identified. "It is me. Open the door."

"What has happened?" I questioned. "Where is the blue creature?"

"We have defeated it." Came the Sub-Visser's ready reply. "Now open the door."

I was startled by his commanding tone and the urgency driving his voice set me on guard. The Sub-Visser did not address _me_ that way. My gut feeling urged caution. "Are you alone?" I asked, delaying.

"Yes." The Hork Bajir voice replied quickly. "Open the door!"

I did not believe himÑsomething in the way he spoke, something about the whole situation was just wrong. Something felt wrong. Was the creature outside with the Sub-Visser? Was it threatening him?

"How many others have survived the attack?" I stalled. At the same time I motioned to one of the Pool Room guards.

The man moved swiftly to the video monitor near the door. He activated the monitor's console and with a few quick keystrokes he activated the viewing screen. A sharp image flashed purposefully across the monitor and displayed the area immediately outside of the Pool Room entrance. Viewing the screen, it was apparent that my misgivings were unfounded, for there stood a Hork Bajir easily identified as Sub-Visser 15. He was bent over, and the video camera showed the top of his head, but not his face. He was alone; the blue creature was no where in sight.

"I do not know how many survived," the Hork Bajir answered stooping lowly. He was hurt.

"Are you injured?" I asked quickly.

"Yes," Sub-Visser 15 replied huskily. He hunched even deeper. "Open the door," he implored.

I hastily nodded to other Controllers. The guards quickly began clearing the barricade.

"We're opening the door." I informed the Sub-Visser.

He remained unmoving, his body twisted in pain, his down-turned face shielded from the camera. "Good," he grunted.

As I waited for the barricade, cold relief washed through my body and realization seeped into my brain. _The blue creature had been defeated._ _The Yeerk Empire had survived_.

(I suppose you won't be going anywhere after all, Regan. ) I gloated coolly. His feelings of defeat were overwhelming. (I am glad that I didn't take your advice and kill us both) I continued. (Or where would we be now? )

Regan did not answer, but retreated far into the recesses of our interlaced mind. There he would remain sulking or grieving or doing whatever it was that he did. More importantly, I would not hear his annoying whine for at least a few days. I smiled broadly at that thought.

"Visser One, the barricade is clear and the Pool Room door is open," a Controller reported purposefully.

I returned my attention to the Pool Room and watched as Sub-Visser 15 limped his way in. The Hork Bajir's back was bent sharply and his face was aimed to the ground. I could not see his facial features, but I imagined that they were strained in painful concentration.

"Well don't just stand there!" I snapped to the loitering group of Pool Room guards. The ten Controllers started at my sharpness "He can barely walk!"

Two Hork Bajir hastily made their way to the bent form of their wounded commander. They extended their bladed arms, careful to avoid the Sub-Visser's body.

"Here Sub-Visser use us as a brace," the two said as their arms encircled his girth.

The first guard gently contacted the stooped form.

And emitted a glass-shattering shriek.

As my eyes darted to the guard's face, my heart skipped a beat at what I saw. The guard's brow arched in horror. His mouth twisted in agony, and terror shone in the whites of his eyes. His bladed arms flayed erratically, slicing through the air as if he were fending off an invisible foe.

Only his enemy was very real.

(It's the creature. ) Regan's voice pealed joyously. (It's come for me! )

(NO! ) I protested. (It can't be! ) The Hork Bajir was Sub-Visser 15. It had to be.

But as I watched in numb disbelief, the Sub-Visser lifted his face, reveling a pair of glittering red eyes. The blood-colored orbs gazed maliciously, piercing through the air like daggers. They swept across my face, examining me with a cruel intent.

The creature.

Then It changed. As I watched in dumb fascination, glinting threads of blue light wound through the Hork Bajir form. Starting with the feet, they stitched upward binding the bladed ankles to the torso and then the muscular chest to the head. Then the blue light unraveled into many smaller threads and these looped around the body until the creature was caped in a shining cloak. With a soft whooshing noise the cloak unfolded, swallowing what remained of the Hork Bajir form in a blanket of swirling blue dye. The whooshing sound grew louder and louder and the blanket became thinner and thinner until all that remained of the creature was a transparent blue mist. Different hues of blue washed in and out of the shapeless mist like spotlights reflecting off iridescent fabric. Yet all the while, those deep red eyes stared menacingly from beneath a sea of blue.

Still grasping the captive Controller, the creature leered and Its red eyes flashed dangerously.

The captive Hork Bajir screamed in terror. Pain etched into his lined forehead, and he struggled wildly, in a desperate attempt to free himself.

But the creature did not release him.

The Controller flayed and his struggling became more violent. Then with a last strangled cry, he was silent.

The blue monster threw the still-breathing body to the floor, and the body landed with a violent crack! Then the creature turned to the second Hork Bajir with a predatory grin. It had sighted Its next victim.

Panic flashed across the face of the second Hork Bajir, as he dashed for the open door. The creature smiled expectantly, but waited until Its prey reached the entrance. Then with a cat-like ferocity the creature pounced, downing Hork Bajir. The Controller shrieked, howling in pain. Then he stopped abruptly, and his body went limp.

He was gone.

The blue creaturelaughed humorlessly, and Its red eyes blazed with a hellish glow. "Thank you for admitting me to this room," It sneered, addressing the other Controllers and I. "An invitation is always welcome.

Although I understood the creature's meaning, the words It spoke were strange, and I knew It was talking in a language I'd never heard before.

"But I suppose I was only invited because I was mistaken for your Sub-Visser." The creature continued with mock thoughtfulness. "But in any event, an invitation is an invitation, and here I am." Its red eyes glittered with sadistic pleasure. "Although, I would have opened the door anyway if you had refused my entry.

Proving that It could enter or exit at will, the creature stared atthe open entrance. Tiny zaps of blue fire sparked from Its transparent form and suddenly the Pool Room door slid shut.

A collective gasp coursed through the remaining eight Controllers.

"You didn't wish to leave?" The creature asked innocently as it smiled at Its handiwork. Like all the other doors on the Blade Ship, the Pool Room door operated on a magnetic rolling track.

I stared at the sealed entranceÑthe only way in or out of the Pool RoomÑand at the creature stationed in front of it, barring my escape; I knew that there was no way out. This was it. For me. For the Empire. This was our last moment.

Regan laughed gleefully.

In those few precious seconds before the end, time seemed to slow as I soaked up my last images of life. Thoughts flooded my mind: thing I'd done, things I'd wanted to do, promises I'd made and would no longer keep.

I gazed lovingly around the Pool Room. At the smooth metallic walls, at the glistening bars on the host cages, at the life-giving Kandrona. The Yeerk Pool bubbled sweetlyblissfully unaware of what was happening. I thought of the seven hundred free Yeerks, the innocents I had failed. They would die today because of me.

But they would not die without a fight.

I turned to my eight remaining guards. Two Hork Bajir and six humans. I saw panic flashing in their eyes. I saw fear.

"Fellow Yeerks!" I charged them. "Our Pool-brothers have always relied on us for their protection. We _will not_ desert them now!" I stated fiercely. "We will fight! We will protect them! Guard the Pool!" I commanded.

But there was no magical transformation. The eight Controllers didn't suddenly change from scared stiff to mighty warriors. They were still afraid, their fear no less visible in their eyes, but there was also an outlet for their adrenaline-induced energy. They now had a purpose beyond waiting for their deaths.

Me, I was angry. Angry at myself, angry at what happened, angry at Regan's glee. But most of all angry at the blue creature. I turned to the face It. I glared at It, eyes ablaze.

The creature returned my gaze with a sneer. "Fight if you chose. It amuses me." Then with a flash of blue, It was upon us.

The battle was quick, confused. The deadly blue creature and we nine Controllers.

Screaming. A haze of blue mist. Bursts of red Dracon fire.

I kept my back to the Pool, offering it what little protection I could.

Screams. A dull thudding of bodies hitting floor. Cruel laughter.

I fired my Dracon beam in an unceasing stream at the blue creature. But each shot proved ineffective, passing harmlessly through Its transparent form.

Screaming. Death cries. Shrieking.

There were only three of us left?

Screams. A blur of blue.

Sudden silence.

I gazed at the still-breathing bodies on the floor with sick realization. I was the only one still standing.

The creature stared coldly at me from across the room.

I waited.

"I am the One who is Many. Who is All. I am the One." It chanted lowly.

My people had failed. The Empire was lost.

"I am the One who is Many. Who is All. I am the scourge of the universe. The destroyer of galaxies. I am the One.

I had failed them.

"I am the One who is Many. Who is All. I am the One." It smiled mercilessly at me, enjoying my torment.

I returned Its gaze, defiantly. "And I am Visser One. Come and get me.

And then the creature was upon me.

Pain. White hot. Stabbing. Pain. Sizzling. Burning flesh. Burning thought. Burning life.

I screamed, choking on the air. The Pool Room seemed to shrink, to collapse on itself. The walls rushed towards me and the ceiling bore down on me.

My vision blurred. I could not see clearly. I tried to focus. I stared at the blue demon, the One. At its glittering red eyes, sparkling with blood lust. At its pointed grin.

It laughed.

A fresh wave of pain. Slicing. Sharp as knives. Stabbing.

I recoiled, wreathing in agony. My vision faded, colors had no meaning. Sight had no meaning. Pain. Only pain existed.

A loud roaring noise. A terrified scream.

"NO! NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! NOT AS A PRISONER! PLEASE JUST LET ME DIE! LET ME GO TO MY FAMILY!

Something pulled. Something snapped. And suddenly I couldn't feel Regan's consciousness. It was like he wasn't there.

Dimly I understood. The One had taken Regan. How, I had no idea.

The creature left me then, for a few moments, while It focused on my host.

I lay unmoving on the cold metallic floor. My heart pounded sluggishly in my ears and my breath came in shallow gulps. I trembled. My throat felt raw from screaming; I coughed on flecks of blood.

I was tired. Too tired. Too tired to wonder how I still operated Regan's body without Regan present. Too tired to care.

"You certainly are an odd species," a cruel voice laughed from far away. "A symbion.

I listened, without understanding. My battered mind could not process.

"Although I must say that I prefer the larger life-force. The smaller essences are so dissatisfying, hardly worth the effort at all."

Red eyes loomed in my vision, obscuring the world. Then they turned, and I obediently followed them. We gazed at a rounded metallic tank filled with a yellowish colored liquid.

"Still, do not bemoan an opportunity.

I stared at the yellow water. At the pool. Yeerk Pool. Yes, Yeerk Pool. It was called a Yeerk Pool.

Something struggled for substance, for meaning. Yeerk Pool. It was important. Yeerk Pool.

I was tired. So tired. I wanted to give up then. Let the creature take me. Take me as it had taken Regan.

But something nagged at my muddled thoughts. Something pricked.

Yeerk Pool.

Yeerk Pool.

With a sudden snap! I knew.

Yeerk Pool. Yeerks. My people.

"I should like to find another of these symbions," the blue creature said thoughtfully. "At least for the larger life-force.

Something happened then. A thought shaped. A knowledge. And I understood.

Symbions. Symbiotic. The creature thought that Yeerks and humans were symbiotic.

But Life-force? What was a life-force?

The creature ate life-forces, It said so. But what were they?

I didn't know, but they were something that humans had.

And this was my last chance.

I struggled with my throat. To force my mouth to open. To form words. "I know where you can find more." I hissed in a voice utterly foreign to my own ears.

The creature regarded me with surprise. "Are you still lucid?" It laughed.

"I know where you can find more humans, the larger life-forces," I repeated, my ragged voice growing stronger. "Six billion more.

The creature studied me, like a child ready to squash a bug. But I noted a keen interest hiding in the depths of Its cruel red eyes.

"We are not symbiotic. My kind only requires the body," I explained. "Spare me and my people and I will bring you six billion more humans.

It was the last way. The only way. If the creature did not agree, all was lost.

"I could force you to show me the way to these humans." The creature replied easily. "I have ways of persuasion.

"No, you could not." I stated flatly. "And without me and my people, who would operate the ship? Your ship or the Blade Ship? How would you be able to get there? You said yourself that the life-force of my kind dissatisfies you ®¢ the few Yeerks left, the ones in the Pool, are not worth your trouble." I paused, so tired. I was so tired. Had to stay awake. "But if you spare me and my people and I will take you there." I repeated.

I waited for seconds, minutes, hours as the creature decided.

Finally It turned to me with a sneer. "I agree to your terms. You take me to this place with the large life-forces and I will spare what is left of your kind. But," and its face twisted "should you prove untrustworthy" It trailed off, the glint in its eyes an unspoken threat.

Then It turned, leaving me alone on the floor of the Pool Room.

"You see Regan," I slurred as I slipped into unconsciousness. "I told you the Empire would survive.

But Regan didn't answer.

Regan was gone.

--------------------

Gawd I hated this stupid chapter! It had so many things going on that it took me forever to get everything "just so." First, I couldn't get Regan/Efflit right, then I couldn't keep Efflit's character consistent, then I couldn't make Efflit's thought process logical enough to follow, then I couldn't write the "Regan gets eaten" scene without sounding like a third grader writing a "How to Paper", and the list goes on and on and on...

Yeah, but so now that one of the "crucial" chappies is _finally_ over (thank gawd!) I can move onto more frequent and less stunted writing!

I won't make us wait months for the next update, because the next update is one I'm been dying to write since last summer! Enter Rachel! (da da dum!) So I'd guesstimate, that oughta be up in less than a month (but that depends on whether school will rear its ugly Ôol head or not).

Yeah, but thanks ya'll for reading this. Wouldn't you like to review now? Could you do me a favor and answer some questions, so's I know how I'm doing? (when I need to clarify and such).

1. Why was Regan so anxious to die?

2. Why did Efflit think everything was all his fault?

3. Did anyone care that I said that Efflit's ppl would fly the ship to Earth, even though all his Controllers are down for the count, and we're only left with a Yeerk Pool?

4. Did it make sense why Efflit offered the humans to the One?

If you could please answer even one of these I'd be super happy b/c then I'd know if I did my job on those parts. But if you don't feel like doing a critical reading, would you just type a "hi", so's I know that ppl are reading this?

Also, if ya'll do review, please be as critical as possible. I really want to know what ppl think of my stuff, especially b/c I'm considering writing for real after I graduate. So if you think something is confusing or stupid or just plain sucks, please PLEASE let me know! (I won't get mad. If something that I did stinks, I did it, so's its my fault and ya'll are just doing the good reviewer thing and pointing it out).

Anyways,

Thanks much!

DH


	12. Chapter 9: Rachel

Hey ya'll! What's up? Its super late, and I'm tryin to finish this. School did rear its ugly 'ol head and I've been spending all my time writing stupid-reports. But I have a sudden 2-day break before I have to start my next report, so I decided to finish this. (someone commend me on my steadfast attentions to this story--please!)

Anyways..onto the show!

thanks ya'll for reviewing! It makes me feel so spiffy! And thanks to Anni Morph and Jedsel for joining my Cassie Haters' Club!

**Answering your questions/comments:**

**AmythestSkye:** thanks for answering my questions! Are you interested in answering some more? grins mischievously And look how much quicker I updated for this chappie! Thanks for the review!

**Robyn:** yeah, there_are_ a lot of Ani-FF's aren't there? I mean, I bet we've got more FF's than LOTR (well, 'cept I heard started deleting accounts/stories from our sector). And I'm glad you're enjoying my story! I'm enjoying writing it. As far relaxing and stuff--can't. I'm a perfectionist (if you can't tell), plus a diagnosed obsessive-compulsive (well diagnosed according to all the internet personality tests I've taken--and we all know how accurate those are grin).

**Anni Morph:** thanks again for joining my Haters' Club! Glad that you like the story.

**kaz456:** hey Kaz! Nothin's wrong with long reviews! Darned it! Yeah, you're right about Efflit/Regan. Man! I thought I'd covered all the logic errors! Rats! (sorry, I'm not yellin at you, I'm just groanin out loud). Uhm, I guess the way to fix that would to write something like: Efflit feels the gears in Regan's brain whirling at full speed, but he couldn't care less what his host was thinking about and so just totally ignores him? Does that make sense? Oh, and you say you name kaz or kAz? (stress the a or not?) just curious. Thanks for the review!

**blackwidow-MaryJane: **Thanks! I'm writing more right now, as a matter a fact! : ) thanks for the review!

**A-Cat:** yeah, Efflit is noble, but only to a point. He only cares about his species and what's good for them. (did you read him like that?) I figured that if you have an Aftran and an Esplin, then there'd have to be a happy medium somewhere. Rachel's here now, but I regret putting her in--I should have waited for about 6 chapters more, but ah well! And ha! You already missed a few things! Good-- I didn't make them too obvious. (they'll just come back to haunt us later...)

**Sparklegem:** thanks for the review! Yeah, I guess we are on the same wavelength--do you crave a Tropicana Orange Popsicle right about now, too? Yeah, but I'm glad you like the story! So do I! (which often times doesn't happen--I seriously have like about 20 stories that I started and then trashed b/c they weren't good enough for anything). As far as Esplin being too compassionate, I had to establish early on that he genuinely cares for the Empire. (I have my reasons for that...) But yeah, as I was telling A-Cat, you have Esplin on the far right and Aftran on the far left. I think Efflit is your middle of the road Yeerk. (he'd make a perfect politician). And that part with the blanketÉyeah, I was actually a tad confused there myself--I didn't actually have any clue how the One was going to "appear" but I really wanted to try out this type of writing style (you pick "imagery" words and use them with as few metaphors/similes as you can...so the whole description is based on word choice not analogies) but when I finished the paragraph it confused me and my friend (who reads everything over once for me b/c he's awesome!), but the paragraph sounded pretty cool and I figured Efflit didn't really know what was going on either--so kinda conveyed that there. WoW! That was a really long reply to your review! Sorry!

**KP:** thanks for the compliment! And thanks for the review and answering the questions! Feedback really helps!

**Brutal2003:** explains a lot? Not really! There's still a lot more to come! And a lot more confusion/suspense! (it was suspense, I wrote, right? I'm not just kidding myself, am I?)

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Animorphs (sadly) and this chapter contains some direct quotes from Animorphs: The Beginning #54

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Rachel:

My name is Rachel.

(You fight well human.) The polar bear said.

Then he killed me with a single blow.

Time stopped. The world dissolved into darkness.

He came to me. The Ellimist.

The puppet master come to watch my final act. It figured. He was in his saintly old man guise. As fake as everything else about him. The all-powerful weakling. The mighty manipulator.

"You," I said accusingly.

"Yes.

"Who are you?" I demanded. "Who are you to play games with us? You appear, you disappear, you use us, who are you, what are you?

And then, for what seemed a very long time, the Ellimist told me. I saw. I understood.

But I also knew he would not save me. That he couldn't under the arcane rules of his millennia-long war with Crayak.

"Send me back," I pleaded.

I wanted so much to live. I wanted to stay and not to leave. I wanted to have a life: to grow up, to have children, to have grandchildren. And I wanted to be with my friends: with Marco and Ax; Jake and Cassie.

Tobias.

"Send me back." I repeated.

The Ellimist shook his head slowly, and I saw pity in his ageless eyes. "You are dead. You cannot go back.

"Please." I said quietly. "I can't leave them.

It wasn't fair! It really wasn't. The Ellimist was this all-powerful demigod. He'd stopped time, altered history, shown us our possible futures even. And yet the one time that I needed him, he couldn't intervene.

The old man gazed at me sympathetically. "Your friends will follow you, in their due time." He replied. "And then you will all be together.

"So I have to wait until they die?" I asked in frustration.

"Yes, you must wait until they die." He answered. "But your wait will not be a long one.

"Just a life-time." I retorted.

The Ellimist laughed. "Child," he said with kindness shining in his ancient eyes. "Now that you are dead, time will pass quicker than you realize. For instance, how long do you think we have been talking?

I shrugged. "A few minutes, maybe an hour.

"We have talked for approximately one year and seven of your Earth months.

I stared at him.

The old man grinned. "You will find that time flows differently now.

The Ellimist smiled. "How do you measure time?" He asked me. "In seconds? Minutes? Years?

"Yeah. So?

"So, it is all arbitrary. It has no meaning."

Huh?

"You base your measurements of temporal continuity on what you observe. From your planet's rotation, once every twenty-four hours, and from your planet's revolution around your sun every 365 days." He explained, "Your kind ages from exposure to ultraviolet rays, gravitational forces--factors controlled by your planet's environment. But take you from your planet, remove you from these factors, remove you from the time constraints forced on you by your planet, and suddenly time has no meaning. A life-time has no meaning. You cannot gauge your existence according to 'time.'

I stared at him. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

The old man smiled, like he was indulging a favorite grandchild. "Maybe if I showed you, you'd understand a little easier.

And suddenly, the blackness dissolved and I was standing with the Ellimist in someone's living room. A rich someone's living room. There was a TV the size of a greyhound bus.There were two giant red leather sofas. There was a mini-bar.

"Are you insane?" A voice laughed from outside of the room. "Of course I'm coming! Mom, this is your most important summit meeting since you were appointed to the Homeland Security Cabinet.

I knew that voice. It was familiar, but different somehow. Deeper. Older.

"Yeah, I'll have to tell them at the studio," the voice continued. "No, its not a problem, I mean it is _my_ TV show," he said cockily. "They'll just have to get over it.

The speaker entered the room. And I wasn't surprised when I saw his face. Marco.

He was a little taller than when I'd last seen him: a midget going on dwarf-status. His clothes were a bit nicer, his acne all but gone, his hair as overly conditioned as ever.

He was older. Even though I swore I'd only seen Marco an hour ago when I was--alive--I knew without a doubt that he had aged.

"Approximately one year and seven months have passed for your friend," the Ellimist reminded me quietly. "Time flows differently now that you are dead.

Marco swaggered through the room, ear plastered to his cell phone, and plopped down onto the red leather couch.

He didn't so much as glance at me.

"The dead exist on a different physical-plane from the living," the Ellimist explained softly. "Your friends cannot see you.

"It figures," I said under my breath.

I watched as Marco leaned back lazily into the oversized couch. He kicked off his shoes. His five hundred dollar imported Italian leather Allen-Edmond shoes.

"Mom I'm coming," Marco laughed into the cell phone. "I've already cleared my calendar. I've got my jet all rearing to go to Washington."

There was a pause as Marco's mom said something on the other end of the phone. "Yeah, well it will be cleared after I tell the studio." Marco laughed haughtily. "I told you mom, its _my_ studio, _my_ TV show. If I cancel out on them at the last minute, they'll have to understand.

Marco had a TV show? He had a jet? There were only two ways that could ever have happened.

And Hell hadn't frozen over--at least not that I knew of.

I turned to the Ellimist. "We won, then? The war, I mean. We won it?" I asked.

"Yes.

I turned back to watch Marco and couldn't help rolling my eyes. Marco, the ape-boy, had finally gotten what he wanted. All of it: the money, the fame, his mom.

I stopped at the girls. Even filthy rich, Marco still couldn't get a date. He couldn't _pay_ a girl enough to go out with him.

I wondered how the rest of the Animorphs were doing. If Marco lived like a king

"Can I see the others?" I asked.

The Ellimist looked at me hesistantly. "You may not like what you see.

I shook my head. "I don't care. I want to see them." I said flatly. "Let me see Tobias.

And suddenly Marco and his living room dissolved, and we were in an open space. A meadow. Trees surrounded us on all sides like giant sentinels standing silent guard. The morning sun, just rising through the tree-tops, filtered light into our little clearing

We were in the middle of a forest, I realized. A huge forest. The greenery stretched for miles on either side, and it was quiet. No cars.

And then I saw him. He flared his great wings, and landed gracefully onto the gnarled branch of a giant oak tree. His sharp gold-flecked eyes glared at the meadow below him. He looked older than I'd remembered.

As I watched he lifted silently from the branch. Then like a thunderbolt he shot to the ground. He extended his talons and raked them across his unsuspecting prey. Then he landed on the ground and began feasting on the dead animal.

I felt my throat tightening. This scene. Tobias. It was _all _wrong. We had won the war, but Tobias hadn't become a human nothlit. He was still a hawk. He was still living in the trees. He was still eating small rodents.

"Why?" I asked the Ellimist, my voice strained. "Why are we here? Why is...Tobias isn't human

The Ellimist gazed at me, pityingly. "Open your heart child," he said softly. "Concentrate on Tobias and only on Tobias, and then you will know all that has happened to him since you last saw him."

I stared at the Ellimist in confusion. What was he talking about?

"You are no longer living and so your mind is no longer constrained," the Ellimist began, trying to explain. "If you concentrate on a living person, then you will know what is happening in their life. This is a way for you to keep up with your loved ones. It is called watching over them." He smiled slightly. "All the dead may do this. Consider it a benefit of being dead."

I nodded.

"Think only of Tobias. Concentrate on him and only on him. Then you will understand what has happened to him since you last saw him."

I stared at the familiar, yet unfamiliar form on the ground. And then I thought of him. Of dear, sweet, gentle Tobias. I thought of our first date. Of our first kiss. The first time he told me he loved me. I thought of his smile. The way that he always listened. How he knew me, cared for me, believed in me--more than anyone else.

And then it came in a flash. Like lightening crashing to earth, like the crack of a whip. Suddenly I knew--as the Ellimist had promised I would--I knew. I knew why Tobias was still a hawk, why he didn't live with Loren, why he never talked to Jake. I knew how much he missed me, how he shut out the pain, how he hid inside of the hawk.

And then I felt my heart tearing

"I...Tobias" I stuttered. "I can't just stand here and watch him like this!" I snapped.

The Ellimist regarded me, carefully. "There is little that you can do.

"No," I said fiercely. "There must be something!

I was angry. Angry at Tobias for giving up. Angry at myself for leaving him. And angry at the Ellimist for doing nothing to help me.

"There must be something I can do!" I repeated. "I'm not leaving Tobias like this!

"You can watch over him. You can wait." The Ellimist said with as much compassion as he could. "The dead may always look upon the living. After I leave, you can watch over your friends as you wait for them to join you. Your wait will not be long," he reminded me. "Time flows differently for you now."

And suddenly Tobias and his meadow dissolved. We were surrounded by darkness again.

"I must leave you." The Ellimist said quietly. "Now you must go to the resting place you humans call Heaven.

I glared at the Ellimist. I felt anger. Cold. Raw. Anger "But what about my friends! What about my family! What about them?" I raged. "Sure its great that _my_ wait won't be long! But what about theirs? What about Tobias?

I couldn't let Tobias waste the rest of his years in misery!

The old man shook his head wearily. "There is little that you can do." He said quietly.

"Ellimist you and your stupid rules can just kiss my--"

Abruptly I stopped, mid-sentence. Because suddenly I saw the pain in the Ellimist's eyes. I saw the sadness. His eyes were so sad. Sad beyond grief, beyond, mourning, beyond despair. So sad, that he seemed tired.

"Child," he said softly. "You do not deserve this ending. If I could help you and your friends, I would. I but I cannot."

I stared at the Ellimist and slowly my anger evaporated as I realized the truth of his words.

I was dead, and nothing could change that--not even the all-powerful Ellimist.

The Ellimist was here for me. He didn't have to be, and yet here he was. To counsel me, to give me advice.

The Ellimist was here to honor me, and I guess that was nice of him. Wasn't going to help me much.

I wanted so much to live. I wanted so much to stay and not to leave. In a moment no answer would matter to me, but just the same, I wanted to know what I guess any dying person wants to know.

"Answer this, Ellimist: Did..did I make a difference? My life, and my...my death...was I worth it? Did my life really matter?

"Yes, "he said. "You were brave. You were strong. You were good. You mattered.

"Yeah. Okay, then. Okay, then.

"Child, go to the resting place," he said kindly. "And may your wait be a short one. May you be at peace. Watch over your friends as I have shown you.

I nodded.

I wondered if--

----------

yeah, okay I know this doesn't sound too Rachel-ish. I totally admit it. So if anyone can give me any hints about how to make her more in-character, I'd be eternally grateful. (well not eternally, but for at least an entire day).

So, was the chappie super confusing? Did everyone get all the 'times flows differently' junk and the 'you can watch over them' stuff? Did everyone get why Rachel was all upset about during the whole Tobias scene?

I was going to do another draft of this chappie before I sent it out, but then realized that with the way school's been going lately, that prolly wouldn't happen for at least another two or three weeks. And I didn't feel like being that patient, or making ya'll be that patient either!

Anyways. Do you want to do your civic-duty and review? You'd make a socially inept introvert feel like she's got a ton of friends. And if neither of those reasons are appealing--how's about an e-twizzler? (no, I have no problem bribing peopleÉ)

DH

PS: join my Cassie-Haters' Club! I've already got three members (well two, including myself), but we've got lots of officer positions open! (and wouldn't it be awesome to say you were an officer of an extra-curricular activity in your resume or college application?) you can find more info about my awesome club under my bio. To join, just send me a review that says "pick me! Pick me!" and what officer position you wanna be. (if you wanna be one, that is).


	13. Chapter 10: Cassie

Hey guys! I'm finally back! Ye-ha! I 'pologize for the long delay. I was fully intent on finishing this chappie at the beginning of the summer. However, I had a buncha really really crappy stuff happen this summer and I got so down in the dumps depressed, that when I tried writing any of my stories, they'd all turn out so depressing that I just got sick of writing all together.

Anywho... but so I'm back.

**Answering your questions/comments:**

**Anni Morph**: err... sorry to make you wait so long! I had to do a buncha research for this chappie, so that took a bit. And then also, like I said, I was really not in a writing mood for a bit. But I'm back now (that school's up and running again!) but hopefully you won't have to wait quite so long for the next chapter...

**Jedsel:** hey! Haven't heard from you for a while! I was wondering where you'd gone! (especially after you'd joined my Cassie Haters' Club). But thanks for the compliment! And thanks for reading and reviewing! I love you!

**Miss Piratess:** flees not blunt objects! sniffel you wouldn't really hurt me, would you? Anywho... glad that you're reading! I was so excited when I opened my inbox and there were like 12 reviews there... I was so surprised! And I really was surprised when they were from you (mainly b/c all us obsessed Animorphers seem to live at this site and I haven't seen your pen-name here before. Are you an alumni, maybe?) anywho... thanks for joining my club! Hehehe... I've actually getting members! And thanks for reading! And for all those reviews!

**KP:** yup! The whole Yeerks working with the One for bodies and souls... that's exactly where I'm going with that! Clever you! : ) glad you liked the tech stuff... I'm one of those enginerds, and so sometimes I have trouble writing tech stuff without making 'em sound so boring or crazy hard to understand. So I'm glad that you think that physics wasn't required to read. Uhm, about your question with the One's apperance... they never said in the book what color he is. I made him green once and blue light. ( I made him take on anyone's apparence, so that's why he can look green). But here's the one paragraph from #55 on how he looks (you're person who never finished reading right?)

"The face ... was a shifting image, a slow dissolve from what might be a robot's face, a machine with a rat-trap mouth and steel eyes, into a sweet feminine, almost elfin visage, and last, and most enduring, into the face of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill...The face that belonged to our friend Ax split wide open across the bottom and revealed a new-formed mouth full of red-rimmed teeth."

Yeah, and that's about all that we've got for a description for the One. Anywho... good luck on your PSAT (yes I have been reading the Shrink blushes, I just felt that after that stink I made about how annoying Helen was that I would be hypocritical to review... although, after typing that, I now feel even worse for reading and not reviewing goes to review but Helen did get better, just like you promised). Oh, and PSAT's make sure to look at similar triangles and probability. I remember those were big. And I see that you're signing your reviews KP now. That cough wouldn't happen to do with a certain cough lazy writer cought that never liked typing the entire word "Korean Pearl" in her review, would it?

**Al Fangor:** welcome to the fan club! Now, as you are the new member recruiter I expect you to get like 10 new members in the next month, kay? J/K ! thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Yrkh8tr: **carefully picks up jc flag I HATE Cassie, but I endure her b/c of Jake. Sigh I want to marry Jake! (not the loser Jake in this story, but the awesomely cute Jake from before his parents were infested). But the only thing that seems to make Jake happy is Cassie. BLAH!!! Maybe I could dump Cassie in the Amazon and then she could hump all the trees she wanted, and I could have Jake? waves tr flag really high Anyways... welcome to my club and thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Samhain13:** you liked the whole Homeland Security bit? Cool! I put a lot of that in this chappie too, but I'm still hesitant about adding post 9/11 stuff in here, b/c it kinda screws with the time-frame of the books, I think (since all the post-war stuff never mentioned anything). But taking the war ending as May 2001 (when she published the last book), then the Visser's trial was a year later, and this time is about seven months after that. So that'd be December 2002. Crap, but I just google'd that Tom Ridge wasn't even named Secretary until Jan 2003. oh, well... KA always wrote the books in the present, and so that's close enough (1 mon) to be good enough. Maybe the time frame can just be our present time, more or less. Yeah, but I liked putting in the Homeland Security thing b/c I thought it made the story more up to date, and less five years ago. Anyways... I bet you didn't really wanna a whole paragraph with my rambling, so I'll stop typing now. : ) thanks for reading and reviewing! And are you sure I can't sway you to the Dark side and you'd join my Cassie Hater's Club?

**Wraithlord42: **Welcome to my Haters' Club! Be sure to poke Cassie real hard, kay? : ) thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Speranza:** Glad you liked the chappie. I was tempted to write the entire team, but I really didn't wanna have to see more of pathetic 'ol Jake, and I avoid Cassie when I can. (which unfortunately I couldn't avoid her in this chappie...blah!) anyways, I'm no chem/bio major, but the reason I put that about the environment, was b/c I remember reading somewhere that there was this theory that ppl in the Old Testament lived super long (like 900 years) b/c at that time, the atmosphere was full of water vapor which shielded the UV rays, and kept ppl from aging. And I know that too much sun wrinkles you out. But I don't know how much a factor the ozone and diseases and stuff are vs. genes. Anyways, sorry to make you wait so long! Hope you like this chappie! And thanks for the review!

**Birdie num num: **Thanks! And thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Guardian:** blushes you're actually the first person who's caught that about the arm/leg issue. I made a mess-up with that ( I accidently changed the location appendages at some point, making the Phalanx anatomy inconsistent, and didn't realize that until after I posted). But since no one called me on it, I never fixed it. So sorry for the confusion! But glad that you liked The One! And thanks for the review!

**DID:** Don't worry the Animorphs aren't going to be that much older when Rachel finally gets to interact with them. But I can't tell you what she's going to do, only that it will all end happy. (unlike KA's version sticks out tongue)

**Ladychocho:** okay! Okay! Now do you want to be an officer in the Cassie Haters' Club, or just a member? B/c right now I've got you down as a member. Anywho.. thanks for reading, and I'm sorry for the long wait for this chappie.

**A-Cat:** Thanks for that compliment about Rachel. I've given up trying to write the characters as I read them from the book, and instead I've been focusing on ppl I know that remind me of the Animorphs. Rachel is my sister. So I wasn't sure if she was more like Rachel the Animorph or DH's sister. Anywho.. thanks mucho for reading! And are you SURE you don't wanna join the Cassie Haters' Club? pleading eyes You could be like: the CHC-member-in-name-only-who's-not-really-sure-if-she-doesn't-like-Cassie-or-not-but-just-joined-the-CHC-because-she-wanted-to-eat-all-the-free-pizza-at-the-meetings. (that would be me, in all my school clubs... until they collect dues, that is).

**Brutal2003:** yup, a Cassie Haters' Club. You interested in joining? Cassie most certainly did sell Jake out. The brat! Anywho... thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Weetzybat:** thanks! I was really afraid that Rachel's chappie was going to corndog all the way, so I really appreciate your compliment! And thanks about that bit with the Ellimist, I've never read the Ellimist chronicles, but from what I've heard, you've gotta feel sorry for the guy. (I mean, anyone who is nick-named "the Big Loser" or whatever it was has to be pitied). Anyways... now that I've updated my story, when are you tackling yours?

**Sparklegem:** you didn't actually review the last chappie, but since you were like the best reviewer ever, just wanted to include a shout-out for you too! Sorry about the wait between chappie updates. I'm sure I'm frustrating the heck outta ya, and I'd be super surprised if you continued reading this. That being said: keep reading anyways, kay? I absolutely adore your reviews! : )

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**Disclaimer:** man, this is always the most annoying part of writing the story, b/c I always end up feeling poor after listing everything that doesn't belong to me!

So, let's see... I don't own the Animorphs, or Washington. I don't own Vera Wang or the Carlton hotel. And I don't own the Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Counsel, or the Deputy Director of NASA. Oh and Yellowstone or the West Yellowstone smokejumpers, oh! And MLK and the YMCA, and ESPN and the Crystal Ballroom and Yale and the Hague and the EPA and the FBI, and Locke's "invisible hand" theory

BUT!!! (ha, there's a but this time!) I do own Ronnie ('cause I made him up mostly with a little help from KA, so that's co-owning I think), Duke, Mr, Amon, the NASC, the Under Secretary for Planetary Threats and Alien Goodwill Relations, the Smith-Chowders Alien Security Bill, and the "person" loophole

So let's see 18 things I don't own and six that I do and one that I co-own. Hmmm... I don't think that I like those odds. Boo!

**Cassie Haters' Club Note:** I just wanted to write a quick explanation to all the CHC's members, before ya'll read this chappie (since I am el presidente and stuff). This chappie is from Cassie's POV, but unfortunately nothing bad happens to her in this chappie. (BLAH!) I've got something really nasty that's going to happen to her in the near future, but I needed to set up some background stuff on her first (to augment her pain later). So just didn't want anyone to think I was skimping out.

-DH

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One month since Ax's party

One year and seven months since the war's end

Seven months since Visser One's Trial at the Hague

My name is Cassie.

Cassie Banks.

I was in D.C., seated at an elegantly set table in the Crystal Ballroom of the Carlton Hotel. My boyfriend of sixmonths, Ronnie Chambers, sat next to me stabbing avidly into his filet mignon.

"Ronnie, can you pass the salt please?" I whispered.

"Sure thing, Cass," Ronnie replied, grasping the small crystal saltshaker. As Ronnie handed me the shaker, he brushed his fingers over mine and flashed me one of his patented lopsided grins.

"Thanks," I whispered. Ronnie's smile grew even larger, and I felt myself smiling back.

"Anything for you, my girl." Ronnie whispered sweetly.

I smiled even bigger and blushed slightly.

As much as I would have enjoyed a romantic dinner date with my steady, Ronnie and I were at the Carlton hotel strictly on business purposes. We were attending the reception dinner of the National Alien Security Conference.

Basically the NASC was a big meeting for all the important military and security people in the United States. The conference lasted a week, and it included presentations, speeches, and open forum debates. The conference topics were varied and covered everything from improving safety among Andalite Tourists, to security concerns faced by Hork Bajir in Yellowstone Park, to U.S. military contingency plans should Earth be attacked by aggressor aliens.

Attendees of the Conference were the cream of the crop, the most important people of the country: five star generals, members of the National Security Counsel, and officials of the Department of Homeland Security, the Deputy Director of NASA, and even some big shots from the private sector.

I was going to present a speech at tonight's reception dinner.

As I shook the salt out of the crystal saltshaker and onto my own vegetarian plate, I couldn't help but notice the tiny roses etched onto the shaker's side.

"Even the salt is fancy," I muttered to myself. "But this is a five star hotel. Only the best for the guests of the NASC, I guess."

I could think of only one word to describe the Carlton ballroom-- luxury. The ballroom was festooned with fine white linen tablecloths and cream-colored cloth napkins. Bright yellow roses in delicate porcelain vases complimented the tea rose patterns on the fine bone china. Large crystal chandeliers shimmered vibrantly, but did not overpower the subtler glow of thick white tapers sleeved in silver candelabra. The gentle chinking of polished silver flatware striking fine china accompanied the soft rolling of a violin, flute, and lap harp.

It was a beautiful room; it was such an alluring atmosphere that I could almost forget my reasons for being at the conference in the first place and simply marvel at the ballroom's splendor.

"Cass, its your turn to present." Ronnie nudged me softly, awakening me from my revelry.

"Huh?" I asked dumbly, staring into Ronnie's honey-colored brown eyes.

Ronnie is a rather attractive man. Twenty-five and six years my senior, Ronnie is tall with a muscular build and a perpetual tan. He has curling straw-colored hair that he keeps short, a strong square jaw, and a large lopsided grin. Then there are his eyes...two great big honey-colored orbs that when resting on me are as calming as Ronnie's good-nature.

Ronnie is what you'd call a "man's man." He watches every sport possible: from baseball to bowling. Besides his obsession with ESPN, Ronnie's other interests include coaching basketball at the YMCA, mentoring in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, biking and kayaking, and hiking woodland trails with his black lab, Duke. But despite his outward appearances, Ronnie is a far cry from the stereotypical "dumb jock." Instead of majoring in kinesiology, Ronnie got his masters in political science at Yale. He is now the California governor's liaison to the Hork Bajir, and my counter-parts of sorts to the Hork Bajir Habitat.

But Ronnie is not Jake, and he could never be Jake.

I waited. I waited for a long time for Jake to come back to me -- for Jake to tell me that he still wanted me; that he still wanted to marry me. But he didn't.

See, Jake is the leader, the kind of person who makes decisions. And the decision for us to get back together is his to make, not mine. On that fateful night before everything changed -- before we won the war, before we lost Rachel -- on that night, Jake proposed to me. But I knew that the victory would change him, would change the way he felt about _us_, and so I did the fair thing: I told Jake to wait until after we'd won the war.

I gave him a choice.

I suppose he made it.

And Ronnie is a good guy. He's the kind of person I would have ended up with if I hadn't been in the war. Ronnie likes animals; he's good with children; he loves the outdoors. He shares nearly all the same interests as I do, and he feels the same way as I do on important issues such as animal cruelty, the death penalty, and pollution regulations. Had I not been in the war, I believe my crush on Jake would have amounted to nothing more than a simple school-girl crush and not the full-fledged relationship we had shared. Had I not been in the war, my crush on Jake would certainly have fizzled out by the end of middle school. Had I not been in the war, eventually someone like Ronnie would have come into the picture. So I don't feel too bad letting go of Jake because Jake has forgotten me, and well -- Ronnie just seems to suit me better. And he's the guy I would have ended up with if I hadn't been in the war, anyway.

"Cass, you're up," Ronnie repeated. "Its your turn to present, my girl." Ronnie motioned towards the far end of the maple planked ballroom dance floor, where a small makeshift stage was erected from three risers. A polished oaken podium stood atop the stage, centered between two loudspeakers. Behind the podium stood two people: the conference coordinator, Mr. Henry Amon, and a woman speaker, Marco's mother.

"Thank you Under Secretary Sanchez for presenting your views on Earth's vulnerability to aggressor alien attacks," Mr. Amon was speaking into the podium microphone. "A large round of applause for our speaker, Mrs. Eva Sanchez, the Under Secretary for Planetary Threats and Alien Goodwill Relations for the Homeland Security Cabinet."

A bright round of applause erupted from the attendees at the National Alien Security Conference. Eva smiled graciously as a large wave of applause ushered her from the stage. As she reached her seat, I noticed a young man at her dinner table cheering loudly-- I didn't realized that Marco was here.

"Encore! Encore!" I heard Marco whoop.

Eva laughed as she reached her chair, and she ruffled her son's hair in an affectionate gesture.

"Mom!" Marco protested, quickly smoothing his overly-gelled hair. But although Marco tried to look embarrassed with Eva's motherly doting, I could tell that he really enjoyed it-- he'd gone many years with those maternal gestures.

After Eva and Marco had seated themselves, the conference coordinator smiled. "And now for a change of pace Tonight's final keynote speaker will discuss the security concerns faced by resident aliens of Earth, with a focus on the residents of the Hork Bajir colony of Yellowstone. Our final speaker is the Special Assistant to the President for Resident Aliens. However, she is most recognized for her services rendered to our planet as an Animorph. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Cassandra Banks."

There was a boisterous round of applause as I rose from my blue velveteen padded chair. I watched in amazement as the conference attendees also rose to their feet. One hundred and forty seven of the most influential people in the country, and they were giving me a standing ovation.

I gulped. Instantly, another hand enclosed mine and squeezed it. "You'll do fine," Ronnie said reassuringly, his large brown eyes flashed soothingly. "Just tell 'em the truth, my girl." He smiled his lop-sided, endearing grin. "You're going to be great," he said withabsolute conviction.

I smiled in gratitude. "Thanks Ronnie," I whispered.

He nodded and with another quick squeeze, he dropped my hand. The resounding applause grew louder as I left my table, and headed across the glittering ballroom and towards the small makeshift stage. The hem of my red satin gown rustled softy across the maple wood dance floor. Rachel would be proud of me: the gown was a Vera Wang, specially made just for this night.

"Thank you Mr. Amon," I said to the conference coordinator as I mounted the small stage.

"No, thank you Ms. Banks," Mr. Amon replied quickly, grasping my hand in an enthusiastic handshake.

I blushed slightly. The standing ovation, the enthusiastic handshake -- I'm getting more used to these kinds of reactions now, but I still find them a little overwhelming.

After we had completed the handshake, Mr. Amon left the stage and found his seat. Once he was settled, I turned to face the conference attendees. Amid the flickering candlelight and the twinkling champagne glasses, two hundred and ninety four eyes returned my gaze. The eyes of one hundred and forty seven very important people.

I took a big breath and slowly exhaled.

Most people would not expect it of me, but even after all that's happened and all that I've done, I'm still squeamish being the center of attention. I've always been skittish of standing in the spotlight, and of having to make decisions that affect other people. I'm not good at telling other people what to do.

I'm not like Jake or Marco.

My eyes quickly roamed the crowd, seeking out that one smile that would instantly offer me comfort. For a brief second, my eyes found Ronnie's gaze. He flashed me a bright, reassuring smile, along with a thumbs up.

I smiled gratefully. Then taking one last gulp of air, I began: "Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your applause. As you all know, I am the representative of the Hork Bajir valley. I oversee the Hork Bajir dwellings there, and together with the staff of Yellowstone Park and in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, I protect the Hork Bajir citizens who reside there."

I paused, and then turned the page on the yellow legal pad, where I'd outlined my speech. "And the Hork Bajir require protection. The recent attacks on Yellowstone Park reflect this requirement."

There had been dozens of attacks on the Yellowstone colony, not to mention the visiting Andalite tourists. For the most part, mankind had embraced the existence of aliens with open arms. But that was for the most part. There was another portion of mankind that adamantly opposed any and all associations with aliens. Alien hate groups had sprung up all over the globe.

Some anti-alien groups protested the aliens as anti-religious. The Andalites and Hork Bajir were emissaries of Satan sent to test the pure of heart, claimed many fanatical religious sects, and Earth had to be cleansed of their contaminating filth. These religious zealots were Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. However, the appearance of aliens affected not just the major religions, but questioned the core beliefs of nearly every religion.

Other anti-alien groups attacked the changing economic situation. Composed of blue and white collar workers, unions, and CEOs, these groups protested that interplanetary trade with the Andalites would create a giant "invisible hand" in which Earth would suffer greatly. Human technology was far inferior to Andalite, these business groups reasoned, and as new Andalite products flooded the Earth markets, people would buy the more advanced Andalite goods instead of the more backward Earth merchandise. Buying only from the Andalites would remove wealth from Earth, and suddenly Earth industry would collapse because Earth businesses no longer made money. Then, living tremulously in meek subservience to the alien tourists, Earth would survive only as an Andalite hot spot for human cuisine until the Andalite eating craze passed, and Earth was sucked as dry as a rotten prune.

The final major type of anti-alien group formed for the sole reason that some people were xenophobic. Members of these hate groups feared and mistrusted aliens, and no assurances would make these xenophobes believe that Earth was not undergoing a massive alien invasion.

For whatever reasons, these alien hate groups were formed. Literally hundreds of thousands of them existed around the globe. Some groups protested peacefully. Others did not.

The attacks on the Hork Bajir Earth residents and the Andalite tourists began shortly after the establishment of the Yellowstone Habitat. Acts of vandalism, bombings, even sniper-shootings --the attacks came at random, and they came from every which way. Sometimes we caught the perpetrators. Other times we did not.

"I am sure that you all are familiar with the most recent attack on Yellowstone." I continued, letting the anger seep into my voice. "Not only were 33,000 acres of the Hork Bajir primary Habitat completely destroyed, but twelve Hork Bajir perished in the fire as well. In addition, many Hork Bajir, firemen, and members of the park patrol were injured."

I remembered the day I had received the phone call. The day of Ax's going-away party a little over a month ago. I had learned of the fire after Ax had opened his presents.

"This was not just a random blaze or an irresponsible prank, this fire was a well organized assault. Multiple canisters of highly flammable, highly explosive chemicals were planted around the park to perpetuate the destruction."

My eyes flashed furiously as I recalled the events.

The fire had started somewhere in the northeast corner of the park, just a few miles from the northeastern boundary of the Hork Bajir Habitat, I later learned. Exactly how the fire began was still unknown. But as the flames licked the northeastern boundary of the Habitat, sudden explosions issued from the blaze, spewing forth great rolling balls of flame, and increasing the fire's magnitude four-fold. It was later discovered that tanks of homemade napalm had been strategically hidden in the northern sector of the Hork Bajir Habitat As the fire caught on the napalm canisters, the sudden explosions propelled the fire from a containable blaze to an uncontrollable inferno. The inferno ravaged the northeastern portion of the Horka Bajir Habitat, and multiple units of the park patrol, the local fire departments, and the West Yellowstone smokejumpers had rushed to douse the flames. It was fortunate that the summer winds never picked up, and finally after twenty eight very long days, the situation was controlled. But the fire had brutally savaged the Habitat, completing claiming the northeast and north central areas, the Habitat's most populous regions, and leaving nothing but grey ash in its wake.

"The Yellowstone Park Patrol has been working closely with the FBI to locate the individuals responsible for the fire."

We still did not know who started the fire.

"Rest assured that these criminals _will_ be brought to justice."

I paused dramatically, and let the full force of my conviction weigh upon the crowd. I waited until I was sure that they had absorbed it, before continuing.

"But it is not enough to bring these criminals to justice," I said quietly. "We must also do everything in our power to ensure that this situation never repeats itself. We must do all that we can to ensure that alien ambassadors, dignitaries, and Earth residents areprovided with greater security. That is why, ladies and gentlemen, I am publicly endorsing the Smith-Chowders Alien Security Bill, and I urge you to do likewise.

The Smith-Chowders Bill will allocate much-needed funding to the outfitting of a larger park patrol in the Hork Bajir Habitat of Yellowstone Park. In addition, the Smith-Chowders Bill will create a Standing Committee within the Homeland Security Cabinet, whose specific goals are to monitor, locate, and disarm any possible threats to our alien guests. Most importantly, the Smith-Chowders Bill will award alien residents and guests with the status "alien person." This new status will allow alien residents and guests to prosecute criminal actions against them to the fullest extent of U.S. law. In effect, it will remove the so-called "person" loophole."

And there it was, my reason for speaking in this conference in the first place: to publicly endorse the Alien Security Bill. The Smith-Chowders Bill was the first legislation of its kind. It was the first piece of legislation to offer basic rights and protections to extra-terrestrials. As of now, alien dignitaries, visitors, and Earth residents were considered as foreign visitors. As foreign visitors, aliens were given the same rights as foreigners visiting from other countries. At least that was how it was _supposed _to work. However, since almost all laws in the United States only addressed issues of crimes against other "persons," many of the crimes committed against "aliens" by anti-alien extremist groups were dismissed from the courts on the grounds that they not legally defined as crimes. The Smith-Chowders Alien Security Bill would attack this apparent loophole, by altering the status of aliens, such as the Andalite tourists or the Hork Bajir residents of Yellowstone, from "foreign visitors" to alien "persons." In the eyes of the United States law, these "alien persons" could then prosecute crimes committed against them. Altering the status of extra-terrestrials was an important step to protecting my Andalite and Hork Bajir friends.

And my public endorsement of the Smith-Chowders Bill was very important. I was one of the first "celebrities" to add my support to the bill, and that was huge because few important people publicly backed the bill. The Smith-Chowders bill was not widely supported because, although beneficial to the alien community, the bill was also extremely controversial. It was widely feared that passing the Smith-Chowders Bill would be the first step in a chain reaction that would result in aliens becoming citizens of the United States. Many people feared that naming aliens "people" in the eyes of the law was the first step to awarding aliens the status of "citizens." And while the majority of the country had embraced aliens with open arms, the idea of Andalite or Hork Bajir citizens of the United States --citizens who served in the military or on juries or even voted and ran for office -- was too outrageous of an idea for most Americans to stomach.

So while the Smith-Chowders Bill was necessary to the protection of my alien friends, the bill was going to have a hard time getting passed. My hope was that the more notable figures who endorsed it, the more support the bill would receive from the public, and the more chance the bill would have getting passed in the House and Senate.

"In closing, I'd like to leave you with a quote from the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

'In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. '

And I ask all of you, ladies and gentlemen, not to be silent, but to add your public support to the Smith-Chowders Bill. Together, we can show our new alien friends, along with the rest of the world, that the United States truly offers liberty and justice for all. Thank you." As I finished my speech, I breathed a small sigh of relief. _Phew._ I backed away from the podium and the loud uproar of applause. I saw Marco rise from his chair, clapping enthusiastically. He shot me a cocky grin as if to say "yup, the same Cassie we all know and love: spouting her ideals as usual." I flashed Marco and smile, and then headed off the stage. I'd enjoy talking with Marco later in the evening.

As I made my way off the stage, I caught the twinkle in Ronnie's eye. Ronnie smiled at me, and I smiled back. "Good job," he mouthed to me as I made my way off the stage.

"Thanks," I mouthed back.

As I approached my table, Ron stood up to offer me a small victory embrace.

"Cass, my girl, that was wonderful," Ronnie smiled his lop-sided grin. Then, being the perfect gentleman that he is, Ronnie pulled out my padded blue velveteen chair and motioned me to be seated in it. When I complied, Ronnie pushed the chair towards the table and then seated himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen this concludes tonight's speakers," the Mr. Amon got back onto the mic to address the conference attendees. "Another large round of applause for all our speakers, and thank you for all attending. We will open up the dance floor soon, and for those who aren't dieting the sweets table is now serving. Please enjoy the rest of your evening."

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yeah, so not a lot of action in this chapter. Well, none actually. But sorry... this chapter was needed to start to explain why "Cassie's work with the Hork Bajir" was so important that she ditched her responsibilities to Ax and the other Animorphs. (stupid Cassie).

But the next chapter will have Marco in it to make up for this one.

Speaking of Ronnie... what do ya'll think of him? I tried to give him an actual character (since all he was in 55 was a name) so tell me what you think of him, por favor.

Oh!!! And before I forget, I wanna thank Jedsel super much for helping me out on this chapter. I suck at grammar... and Jedsel is awesome at it!!! Also, thanks for pointing out my stupidity marks with Yellowstone and wood floors and filagree!!!

Alrightly, but anyways... thanks to everybody who's reading this (still),

and please review!!!

DH


	14. Chapter 11: Marco

Hey everybody! Thanks so much for you reviews! Also, just in case ya'll are wondering... yes I DO accept flames, and they are just as appreciated as reviews (just as long as they're aimed at my story and not at me, that is). When I write things, the whole reason to post them is to get ppl's reactions (yes, I've got a lot of things that I write that I never post), so it really means a lot to me when ya'll tell me what you do like as well as what you don't.

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**Answering your questions/comments:**

**Jedsel:** wow, that was quite a few reviews! You really were serious about reviewing all the chapters that you hadn't, weren't you? Anywho... thanks for those! And thanks for all the input on this chappie! I love you!

**Silent Bob 546:** A Cassie fan? BOOO! Do you think I might be able to bring you to the Dark side? Anywho... glad that you liked the fic! Thanks for the review!

**The Mutant Goldfish: **Mach 9? That's kinda fast... wouldn't something be melted at that speed if you were in the atmosphere? I hope this is a good "humor" chappie for you. Tell me if you enjoy it, k? Did I get Marco's humor here? Also, I'm not sure about the Yeerks in the peace movement. I just assumed that they all became their respective morphs and then lived happily ever after. But if that really bugs you a lot, then I'll try to write a blurb about them. Thanks for the review!

**DID:** Yeah, they're pretty scary with the religion. I dunno if the Andalites exchange currency, but if they're trading with Earth, they'd have to have some sort of exchange, even if it wasn't with "money." Say something along the lines of "x amount of Andalite gizmos" for "y number of Krispy Kreme stores." Yeah, I'm not sure about Ronnie either yet. Basically Ronnie is Cassie's ideal guy if she hadn't met Jake. (like her ideal guy she would have ended up with if she'd never fought in the war and never really been brought that close to Jake). Did you get that when you read the last chappie, BTW? Anywho.. hope you like this chappie! And thanks for the review!

**Apocalypticvortexofdoom:** Yeah, I'm thinking that you mean the Prologue? I re-read it after I got your review and I totally agree with you! In fact, I'm going to go back and fix it after I post this chappie. Thanks for the review. I hope that you forced yourself through those first two rotten posts to get to these better ones.

**Dragon: **Yep, you've got it covered in a nutshell. I think that Tobias definitely should have been at Ax's party, however he didn't show b/c he's still being a butt. I'm glad that you thought Marco wasn't too mean. Tell me what you think of him here, k? And of COURSE Rachel's coming back. Unfortunately we won't hear from her again for a bit, but she'll be back (trust me). And also, yeah after I got yours and Apocalypticvortexofdoom's reviews about the prologue, I re-read it and I totally agree with ya'll. The writing in those first two updates really blowed. I'm going to go and re-write those actually. The content will still be the same (b/c its important stuff there) but I'm going to fix the writing. But thanks much for that comment, b/c it really got me thinking . : ) also to join the Cassie Hater's Club, you just have to recite the pledge on my bio page, and tell me what position you want to be in the club. Thanks for the review!

**KP:** man, where did you disappear to? I think I might have actually updated faster than you! (that's never happened before... I'm suddenly feeling very odd). How's your PSAT's going? I'm stuck in the middle of mid-terms right now, but I don't have as much willpower as you do, b/c instead of studying or writing my lab report (like a good girl), I'm doing this. Ah well, this is always more fun anyways! Anywho... glad that you liked the One, and that you thought that Cassie was Cassie. Sometimes I inadvertently start writing myself when I write and so I loose the characters. (I did that really bad in this chappie and it took me almost 10 drafts to fix it before DH disappeared and some sort of Marco character surfaced). Anywho... talk to you later!

**Anni Morph:** Jake and Cassie getting together? Heck yeah!

**Miss Piratess: **Glad you liked the Yellowstone bit. I figured since Cassie's chappie was going to be about nothing but her speech, I'd better write it well and make it as realistic as possible. So I had to do a lot of research on a bunch of junk for that. (and info wise, that chappie happens to be my fav), so I'm glad that you liked it. Also yeah, Ronnie is perfect for Cassie. A little too perfect... Thanks for the review! And please hurry with Kat! I'm so worried about her right now!

**Tobias1452: **I will promise you right now that Cassie won't be sucked up by the One. No I'm not _that_ mean. (even if Cassie is an annoying, whining hypocrite). Yeah, and I saw that with writing 55. Don't ask me what I was thinking at that moment. I think I was having a brain freeze or something. Anywho.. thanks much for the review! Hope you like this chappie!

**A-Cat: **hey nothing wrong with long reviews! They're much enjoyed! Yeah, I figured that you must identify with Cassie... wouldn't join my club (pah!) I used to identify with Cassie way at the beginning of the series, but then towards the end she just got a bit tooover-the-top for me. Like in 54 when Jake told her that he'd killed all the Yeerks and he felt guilty that he took pleasure in it. Then she made him feel guilty for feeling guilty! I thought that was a riot, especially considering that she'd killed a buncha ppl and didn't feel all that guilty for it (at least not the way that Jake did, and then she made him feel guilty b/c he couldn't 'disasociate himself from the war'). shrugs whateva. Anywho... I wanted to say thanks for the flame on my other story. I was being a lazy author-person when I wrote that... I actually remember thinking "this doesn't sound very IC for Cassie," but then I didn't want to go back and fix it b/c I didn't think anyone would notice. But when you did, then I felt like a really irresponsible writer and I went back and redid about three pages of that chappie. (I don't know if you saw that or not, but I just wanted to say thanks, and also plz, plz continue to gripe on things that you don't like about what I write in the future, k? I really really really appreciate the griping! And I won't be so lazy next time! I've learned my lesson, honest!) Anywho... thanks for the review!

**Yrkh8tr(who is now Aldrea) and Al fangor reviewing together because Al came over to visit : **GOOD LORD YOU GUYS! I was totally kidding about the recruiting thing! LOL!!!! When I saw what you guys did, I was cracking up!!! LOL!!! Anywho... hope this Marco chappie will suffice for the humor. I did read the Mersang thingie you were talking about. And so I guess I'd better start changing my disclaimer to "I do not own Animorphs, Mersang does," huh? Anywho, thanks for the cookie, it was scrum-diddly-umptious! And thanks for the reviews, ya'll!

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**Disclaimer: **As Mersang owns the Animorphs now, I don't own them. Also, I do not own Habitat for Humanity, the Waldorf Astoria, the White House, Lafayette Square, the Treasury Building, People Magazine, Ralph Lauren, Pauly Shore, Jay Leno, Foghorn Leghorn, Gameboy, and the Department of Homeland Security. I also do not own the Goodyear Tire Factory.

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My name is Marco Sanchez.

Yeah, _the _Marco Sanchez. I'm sure that you've heard of me.

But just on the off-chance that you've been stranded on a deserted island for the past year and a half, I'll elaborate.

I'm Marco Sanchez, the Animorph. Yeah, Animorph. As in animal-morpher. As in, I saved your butt from the Yeerks about a year and a half ago. Yeerks being mind-infesting slugs from outer space. They invaded Earth, but we stopped them. We being my fellow Animorphs--four teenagers, a bird, and an Andalite aristh-- plus the Auxiliary Animorphs, the Taxxon resistance, the free Hork Bajir, and an army brigade commanded by General Doubleday.

Sounds like some B-rated sci-fi flick, I know, but it's true.

Anyways, after we won the war and freed Earth from inevitable Yeerk subjugation, things settled down a bit. And I finally had the time to devote myself to my true calling--acting. And I'm at natural at it, if I do say so myself. Already, I've starred in two blockbusters; I've been on every big late-night talk show at least three times; I was on People Magazine's Best Dressed List _twice_; I was named People's Hottest Bachelor; I've got my own TV show, my own best-selling book, and my own Ralph Lauren fragrance, _Eau d'Gorilla_, scheduled to hit the markets next spring.

But for all the ways that my life has changed since the war ended and I became a celebrity, I don't think that I've changed that much. I'm still the same charming, loveable, and downright humble guy that I've always been. Now, I just happen to have a four-story mansion (complete with butler, chef, and chauffeur of course), a car collection to rival Jay Leno's, and my own Marco the Animorph action figure--not that it bears much of a likeness to me; I'm much cuter in person.

Anyway, so what would you ask was Marco the Magnificent doing in the middle of the overly serious and extremely boring National Alien Security Conference? Well, I was here to listen my mom speak. (FYI: My mom is the Under Secretary for Planetary Threats and Alien Goodwill Relations for the Department of Homeland Security). And not that I'm biased or anything, but Mom's speech was the only good part of the entire night, and that includes listening to Cassie's speech. I mean, Cassie is a good friend of mine and a fellow Animorph, but she can be really boring sometimes.

Take Cassie's speech for instance. She talked for a good thirty minutes, and all I heard was: _blah blah blah_ morality. _Blah blah blah_ ideals_. Blah blah blah. Yada yada yada_. I mean, watching old Pauly Shore movies is more interesting. Not that I watch them, or anything.

But so after Cassie's speech _finally_ ended, Cassie was ambushed by a bunch of convention people who wanted to talk to her about it. (As if the speech wasn't long enough? Why extend the torture?) I, being the incredibly understanding guy that I am, decided to leave Cassie to her moment.

Anyways, while Cassie was off with her groupies, I tried talking to the some of the other NASC people.But for some reason they just didn't seem too interested in comparing the Joker's character flaws to the Penguin's or discussing whether Cameron Diaz or Penelope Cruz had the better body. Instead, the boring convention people only wanted to talk about boring things like politics.

If you wanted to know, I'm not too interested in politics. I mean, it's just a bunch of people throwing out hypothetical after hypothetical situation and arguing about the outcomes. I mean, I understand that voting is important because it's an "impetus for change" and all, but what do I want to change? I mean my life is perfect right now. I've got my mom, my house, and my career. Plus first choice at the ladies. What's there in my life to improve? And, I don't think that I'm really being an "irresponsible citizen" by abstaining from the electoral process either. I mean, talk about "what you can do for your country." I already saved planet Earth from total domination. Somehow, I think that writes me off from performing my "civic duty" for a while.

Anyways, since Cassie was off talking to the big-shots about the Ship-Sandlers or Chip Candles or whatever that bill was called, and since none of the NASC people seemed interested in talking to me,I just ended up at my mom's table making a fort out of extra desert plates and listening idly to my mom's conversation.

"What in the Sam Hill you thinking, woman? How can ya possibly think those Andalites don't pose no real threats ta Earth?" snapped General Wallace, a prune-faced old man, with a cherry red bald head, and a huge vein under his left eye that throbbed when he got angry. "For us to simply sit by and watch them Andalites dominate Earth is madness!"

I was sitting next to my mom, trying to look mildly interested in the conversion between my mom and the five star general from "good 'ol Looziana". And considering I've heard this particular "discussion" six times before, that wasn't easy.

"No, General Wallace, as I've said over and over again the Andalites are _not_ our enemies." my mom forced politely through her gritted teeth. "When I spoke of vigilance in my speech earlier, I was referring to other hostile alien races. I was not referring to the Andalites. We have formed peace treaties and trade pacts with the Andalites, and they are our _allies_."

And I'm guessing the General will remark with the "Soviets were our allies" comeback.

"Yea, and those Soviet-bastards were our allies during th' Second World War," the general replied smugly. "And we all know how well that turned out."

Told you so.

I released an inaudible sigh. It was the same old thing; the same old argument between General Wallace and my mom over the Andalite agenda: my mom always trying to convince the general that the Andalites were our allies, and the general always insisting that Earth was undergoing some massive Andalite invasion. Oh, and me not participating, not because I don't care about the Andalites-- on the contrary, I have some very close friends who are Andalite--but mainly because talking with General Wallace was about as productive as talking to a brick.

"General, look at the figures. Look at the Andalite track record. Look at Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul. Look at Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill."

"Sonavabitch woman! They're damned anomalies! Nuttin but damned statistical anomalies!" The general snapped, and the vein under his left eye started pulsing.

Man, for about the tenth time that night I really wished that I hadn't left my Gameboy in Mom's condo. I could really use some quality gaming time about now.

"Just the first Andalites to have ever truly integrated into human culture," my mom argued. "The first Andalites to have been exposed to humanity on a personal level."

"So did anyone catch the Lakers game last night?" I suddenly threw out, hoping to see the vein under the general's eye pop even larger.

General Foghorn Leghorn flashed me a dirty look, and I was rewarded when his vein swelled to the size of a wet Ramon noodle.

"Hey, just asking," I cautioned.

"And da you know why those alien bastards been integrating into human culture?" General Wallace continued, ignoring me entirely. "ta become more familiar with our defenses, and ta assess our weaknesses. And when they have identified those weaknesses, then they'll strike us."

"General the Andalites could wipe out our planet in a single blow, if they so chose--"

"Hey mom," I tapped my mom on the shoulder. "I think I'm going to go get some air," I said, getting up from the table.

"Huh? Oh, sure thing hon." My mom replied somewhat distractedly. She turned back to the general's cherry red bald head. "Now, as I was saying General..."

I got up from my seat and headed across the ballroom in search of the sweets table.

You know, sometimes I don't know why my mom bothers with that jerk. Mom says that she needs to convince people like General Wallace about the Andalite intentions because it is important for her to trust the high-ranking military personnel around the aliens.

Me, I say forget trying to placate the old prune and force him into early retirement.

"Hey, what's this white stuff?" I asked the caterer as I neared the sweets table. I indicated a white lumpy pudding-like substance with black specks of what I thought was chocolate.

"Oh, its very good Mr. Sanchez," the girl replied. She was really hot--stylish blond hair, blue eyes, and a nice body.

I shot her my Mr. Suavé Smile. "Call me Marco."

"Ok." She giggled, obviously overwhelmed by meeting yours truly. Then she looked around, trying to remember what she was supposed to be doing.

"So tell me about that fine-looking confection," I prompted her.

"Oh, ok. Its called --," and then she said some French word that I couldn't even pronounce. "You'll like it. Here," she ladled a little of the white goop onto a plate and handed it to me. "Try some."

"Thanks," I said as she gave it to me. I picked up a spoon and scooped some of the white pudding into my mouth.

It tasted like dish detergent mixed with pickle juice.

"Do you like it?" the girl asked hopefully. "I made it myself."

I forced myself to swallow another goopy spoonful. "Oh yeah, it's really good." I said, trying hard not to gag.

The girl beamed. She was really hot when she smiled. "I'm glad you like it," she said pleasantly. "Would you like me to give you a full serving?"

"Oh, no that's alright," I replied hastily. Then I turned on the charm. "The dinner was so good, that I don't think I have enough room for a full serving of this delightful confection. But you know what I wouldn't mind having?" I began, oh so smoothly.

Two minutes later, I was holding a small piece of paper with Ms. Nikki Parker's phone number scrawled on it. Oh so slick, no? I'm not People's Hottest Bachelor for nothing, you know.

"Yeah, so I'll give you a call next time I'm in Washington, and you could maybe give me a few pointers in the kitchen," I was suggesting to Nikki.

Nikki giggled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Yeah me too. She was really hot.

"Hey Marco, there you are!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim from a short distance behind me.

"Talk to you later," I flashed Nikki one last dazzling grin, before I turned to meet the owner of that familiar voice: my most favorite hippie, tree-hugger, and good friend Cassie.

Cassie smiled happily and greeted me with a quick hug. "Wow, Marco, I'm so glad that I finally found you! I would have found you were earlier, but I just spent half the night talking to all these people about the Alien Security Bill," she explained. "But when I was giving my speech and I saw that you were here, I was so surprised! I had no idea that you were going to be at the National Alien Security Conference!" she chirped.

"Well I didn't expect to find you here either, so that makes two of us," I replied pleasantly. "I came to hear my mom speak. I should have guessed that you'd be here too."

Cassie beamed.

"But you know, I almost didn't recognize you. You're wearing dresses now? And is that make-up I see?"

Cassie looked sheepish. She had always been so adamant about dressing comfortably, that it had almost become her mantra.

"She looks beautiful, doesn't she?" a deep male voice asked proudly. "I keep telling her that she should wear dresses more often."

Cassie blushed. "Marco, you remember Ronnie?" she asked indicating, the blond haired, brown-eyed man who'd just joined us.

"Yeah, we met a few months ago at Cassie's house warming party, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Ronnie affirmed.

"So did you ever finish building that thing for that place you were telling me about--what was it again?"

"The Habitat for Humanity project?" Ronnie supplied.

"Yeah, that's right."

Ronnie nodded. "Yes, and those kids were so excited about having their own rooms." He gave this goofy looking lopsided grin.

Ronnie is a do-gooder, just like Cassie. He does all this volunteer work and things like that.

"Oh, that's fun for the kids then, I guess," I replied.

"Yeah it was."

"Yeah, that's good then."

"Yeah, it is."

Ronnie and I dribbled into silence, and I so I turned back to Cassie. "So how's things with you?" I asked.

"Busy." Cassie laughed. "Rebuilding the Hork Bajir Primary Habitat has not been easy."

"I'll bet."

"Yeah, we hired out private contractors to assess the damages of the fire and--"

Great, more fun politics to talk about. Joy.

Cassie suddenly laughed, as she noticed the drawn look that was beginning to glaze over my eyes. "I'm boring you, aren't I?" she asked.

"No, not at all."

Cassie laughed. "Yes, yes I am."

"Well maybe just a little bit," I allowed.

Cassie smiled. "Hey instead of talking about more NASC things, how about we go out onto the balcony. It's a bit stuffy in here. You wanna come?"

I took one last look around the room and all the men in tuxes prancing around like wind-up penguins. "Yeah, sounds good." I picked up my plate of French goop and followed Cassie and Ronnie out of the ballroom and onto the balcony.

The balcony was a solid marble platform about 30' x 30'. It was bordered by a decorative iron rail, and shielded by a large linen overhang. Patio furniture sprawled lazily around the balcony. There were delicate iron end tables and large padded chairs, oversized planters brimming with ivy and round tables with mosaic table-tops. Pink orchids in crystal vases and tiny twinkling candles stood atop each table.I'll have to get Weatherbee to fix my patio like this.

The balcony was deserted, so we had the whole area to ourselves.

Following Cassie and Ronnie, I walked past all the patio furniture and to the edge of the balcony platform. We peered over the iron rail.

From our vantage point about twelve stories up we could glimpse the White House, the Treasury Building, and Lafayette Square. It was dark outside, but spot-lights shone on the White House, illuminating its front, and so we could see the arch-shaped pattern of Roman columns proudly ringing the entrance.

"Wow, it's so beautiful up here." Cassie sighed. She leaned against the decorative iron rail. Ronnie stood on her left and I on her right.

"Yeah, the view is really amazing," Ronnie agreed.

"Don't you think the White House is lovely?" Cassie asked.

"Amazing," Ronnie chimed in.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it's alright."

It wasn't really all that impressive. My mansion was bigger.

Cassie laughed. "You guess? You do realize that this is the White House, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

Cassie and Ronnie looked at it each incredulously. "So it's the White House!" Ronnie sputtered.

"And have you ever seen the Marco House?" I asked him. Ronnie shook his head stupidly. "Well there's really no comparison," I said. "Tell him Cassie, you've been to my house."

Cassie just rolled in her eyes and smiled.

"Tell him!" I urged her.

Ronnie stared at me, not sure if I was being serious or only kidding. Cassie shook her head in amusement. "Ron, he's just joking," she explained.

"I am not!" I protested. "The Taj Ma-Marco has its own spa and three indoor swimming pools! What does the White House have?" I asked.

Cassie giggled.

"What does it have?" I repeated.

"The President," she said simply.

"Big deal. My house has me. "

"And the fact that like 40 other Presidents have lived there."

She had me there. "Yeah I guess that's something," I grudgingly admitted.

Cassie laughed triumphantly.

I turned to set my desert dish down on a nearby table. As I did so, Ronnie noticed the dish and pointed at it.

"Hey Marco, man I think a bird pooped on your plate." he said, pointing to the white and black speckled pudding congealing in my dessert dish.

"Nah, that's just Nikki's special--well I don't know what it's called," I answered.

"Nikki?" Cassie questioned slyly.

"Yeah, I was hoping to pick up a saucy intern, but I couldn't find one." I explained. "I guess all the interns go to the White House. So I got that hot blond caterer's phone number instead."

"Typical." Cassie sighed.

"Anyway, this stuff is horrible," I explained indicating the pudding. "I just took some so I could get Nikki's phone number."

I looked over the balcony. "Hey, you see that pot with the red flowers in it? I bet I could hit it with some of this pudding-stuff."

Ronnie wrinkled his brows skeptically. "It's like twelve stories down," he protested. "There's no way."

"O ye of little faith, why do you doubt The Marco?" I quoted.

"Marco you'd better not," Cassie said hastily. "What if you accidentally hit someone?"

I looked down at the hotel's lawn below. It was completely deserted.

"There's no one down there," I pointed out.

"But what if someone comes outside?"

"No one will," I told her.

Cassie frowned uncertainly.

"Marco's right," Ronnie put in. "No one's going to come out."

"Yeah please Mom! Please!" I whined. "Please Mom! Can I?"

Cassie sighed. "Well, go ahead, I guess."

"Thanks Mom! You're the bestest!" I turned to Ronnie. "Alright, prepare to be amazed."

Ronnie nodded. "Alright."

"Watch The Master at work." I scooped some of Nikki's special pudding into my spoon. "First I raise the spoon. Then I factor in wind resistance. I take aim, and I let the birdie fly."

A ball of white and black goo streaked through the air, and landed dead center on top of the planter.

Ronnie whistled. "That's impressive."

"What can I say? "I boasted. "It's all in the wrists. You've got to have the follow through."

Cassie laughed. "I didn't realize that throwing things off hotel balconies was such a sport," she laughed again.

"Art," I corrected her. "It's an art."

"I bet."

"No one ever takes me seriously," I lamented, sighing dramatically. I playfully stuck my noise in the air. "I have a gift, and no one will recognize it. It's taken me many long and grueling hours of practice to hone my skill. I've worked at the best facilities: the Waldorf Astoria, the--"

"Yes, because it is so hard," Cassie interrupted.

"Hey, let's see you hit that planter," I shot back.

Cassie hesitated.

"Oh come on," Ronnie encouraged her. "There's no one around, and its just some harmless fun, after all."

Cassie bit her lip, thinking it over.

"Cassie! Cassie!" I urged her. Ronnie joined in. "Cassie! Cassie!" we cheered.

"Oh, alright." She finally decided. I handed her the spoon, and she scooped out a glob of the white and black special pudding from my dessert dish.

"I raise the spoon," she began. "I take my aim."

"Wait!" I hissed. "Did you remember to factor in wind resistance?"

Cassie giggled. "I factor in wind resistance." She raised the spoon. "Now I take aim."

"Remember it's all in the wrists." I instructed.

"All in the wrists," she agreed and then she let the pudding fly.

The pudding streaked through the air. Down and down it flew, a white and black congealed glob.

"Oh no!" Cassie suddenly hissed.

As we watched, a cherry red bald head exited the hotel. Baldie strode over to the targeted planter, and then bent over to tie his shoes.

The white and black glob soared through the air. Down, down, down it flew. Closer and closer to that red bald head. Closer and closer to the planter.

And then it landed with a splat! Right on target.

Cassie cringed.

The bald man reached up and smeared some of the white and black pudding from his head to examine it. "Ack, bird shit!" he cursed. "Sonavabitch!"

Then, he turned and looked straight up. We ducked, but not before the man had met my eyes, and flashed me one of his trademark scathing looks.

"Oh man!" I hissed. "That's General Wallace," I choked, trying hard to laugh and breath at the same time.

Cassie looked mortified "Oh my god," she whimpered, but Ronnie was laughing just as hard as I was.

I was starting to like this guy.

"Guys, we'd better get out of here before that psycho General Wallace has us court-marshaled and executed," I suggested. "He's pretty vicious."

"Up to my room then, I guess?" Cassie asked shakily.

Ronnie nodded. "Sounds good." He gave Cassie's hand a comforting squeeze and she visibly brightened.

Then with one last look at the White House, Cassie, Ronnie, and I fled the balcony and headed back out of the ballroom. We found the elevator in the hallway and rode it down to Cassie's room on the sixth floor.

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hey ya'll! This took a while to write, b/c I wanted to make sure I got Marco's humor right. (My humor is a bit more dry than his, so that was kind of challenging. I ended up combining a bunch of "Marcoish people" that I know to write his character). So what do ya'll think? Did this seem Marcoish? And also, did this chapter seem slow or did it seem to stall anywhere?

Anywho... please review! Even if all you wanna say is "hello."

Thanks!

DH


	15. Chapter 12: Marco

Lookie! It's close to the beginning of the month, and I've updated again (look how timely the last couple of updates have been of late... pretty impressive, no?)

Anywho.. thanks to everyone who reviewed!

answering your questions / comments

**EDSEL ** thanks! I'm glad you think I got Marco right, and that you liked the pudding scene. : ) also erm Tire Factory? You CAUGHT THAT?!? glares I didn't think anyone would get that! Thanks for the review!!! And for the beta-job!!! I love you !!!

**Aldrea: **sorry about the impersonation thing...maybe they didn't do it on purpose. And glad you liked Marco. Thanks for the review!

**Farrellann Ocasio :** Nice to see a new face! Yeah, Jake is totally a sorry loser right now (poor Jake!) I always had a crush on him... so it's doubly hard writing him like that...anywho.. thanks for the review! I hope that you continue reading! (and reviewing of course!)

**Miss Piratess**:Yep, Marco is definitely a moron (and I based some of his stuff after my little brother...so I guess read into that what you will! lol). Anywho...thanks for the review! Here's another Marco chappie, so that oughta be good, right? : )

**Korean Pearl**:Glad you think I got Marco right! Like I said, his humor is a bit more slap-stick than mine. And yeah, Marco hates politics (I figured all the speeches and such would really bore him). And yeah, I agree with you the General is kinda a steriotype, but I actually did that on purpose. (nononon really! Just lemme justify real quick.. I really did have a reason! )The general won't be re-appearing for a LONG time, and so I figured that by then the only way anyone would even remember him was if his character was either really odd or really simple. So I chose simple/steriotype. (but you know what's kinda scary? The General is actually based on this "loyal" customer at the grocery store that I work at. That customer is an old, grouchy man who seriously goes out of his way to make all the employees have a miserable day. (He was so rude that he made my friend cry once). I think that jerk has nothing else to do or something b/c he's at our store like twice a day being as nasty as possible. But so I was real happy to get my passive-aggressive revenge on him by writing him into my story and having "bird poop" hit him on the head) : )

**Anonymous-cat:** No! by all means keep up the Cassie argument. My best friend and I always argue. About everything. (I think we enjoy it or something. Or maybe we're just screwed in the head or something. Or both). Yeah, but so keep coming with the Cassie's : ) But I gotta tell you, I'm kinda opinionated about her. ( just in case you couldn't tell : ) but in this chappie, I think you'll be happy b/c I was pretty nice to Cassie here. And flames! Paa! Keep 'em coming too! It's much better to have feedback telling me what sucks with things rather than just have ppl get disgusted with me and stop reading altogether. Anywho.. thanks for the review!

**Dark Ice Dragon: **yeah, Gameboy. (you know how "with" it I am with all that stuff...i stopped paying attention since Super Nintendo came out). Glad you enjoyed this! Was really trying to get the humor there (and still make it Marco-ish) and that took me a lot of work! So I'm glad that you think it came out alright. Thanks for the review!

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**Summary:** gawd, this thing just gets longer and longer, doesn't it?

Let's see...Jake is depressed and stuff b/c the Animorphs are splitting up....Marco, Cassie, and Jake throw Ax a Going Away Party and Jake gives Ax his Grandpa's Purple Heart. (Jake's Grandpa, not Ax's)....The Phalanx race was decimated by the One, but Redan Fin-Va traps the One in this ship called the Trapli and sends him into free-space. The ship is programmed to avoid all LARGE gravitational forces....The Yeerks, led by the newly promoted Visser One (Efflit) are trying to rebuild the Yeerk Empire. They stumble upon an abandoned ship w/ a warning message (recording ) from Redan Fin-Va. They misunderstand the message and prepare to board the ship, so they can add it to their fleet....Meanwhile, on the alien ship (which we all recognize as the Trapli) the One is taunting his captive, Redan Fin-Va. We learn that the One kills creatures by stealing their souls. (Their bodies are left to die, after the One robs them of their "essence.") Anyways, the One wanders around the ship and forces Redan's essence to view his long dead body (frozen into the bulkhead). As the One (w/Redan's essence) stand there, they hear a pounding noise and then the entrance to the ship explodes. The One senses 10- no 20 presences and runs from the entrance to hide, so he won't "prematurely alarm his quarry. Anyways, the Controllers enter the "Alien vessel" and find Redan's frozen body. After being thoroughly creeped out, the Controllers split up into groups of five. One group is headed by sub-visser 67, Omeria, and the other by Visser Two, Turin. Anyways, Controllers explore the ship and what-nought when suddenly Omeria's group begins to pick up an AC current. The amplitude of this current is increasing like mad and for some reason the Blade Ship computer can't confirm Omeria's readings. It can't even confirm that there's life (the Controllers) on the ship... Anyways, the peak amplitudes of the AC current keep increasing, suddenly Omeria screams and everyone looses contact with her.

Anyways, Visser Two's group is sent to investigate what happened to Omeria b/c no one can get in contact with her. Visser Two's team finds Omeria's team all lying on the floor, still breathing, but not responding. Uh, Yaban (one of V-2's guys) picks up some increasing AC currents signals and they all jet out of the room where they found Omeria. So V-2 and Co. run to the exit of the alien vessel, but are confronted by the One. The One kicks butt, and V-2 tries to sacrifice himself so that the Blade Ship can get away. Only V-2 gets "killed," but the Blade Ship get away b/c the pesky magnetic seal on the docking terminal, won't de-magnitize (that wouldn't have anything to do with Dah One, would it?). Anyways, the One makes his way onto the Blade Ship and goes into the Yeerk Ship by somehow opening the entrance in the docking bay. (V-1 says that its magnetic, and we learn that the One can open magnetic doors...nifty trick, eh?) So, V-1 sends Sub-Visser 15 (remember the stupid HB on the bridge? ) and some other Controllers to try and slow the One down/ stop him. V-1, meanwhile runs to the Pool Room to protect the 700 free Yeerks in the Pool. He takes 4 HB's and 6 Human Controllers to guard with him. V-1 and friends seal the door and then barricade the entrance to the Pool Room. And they wait.... Anways.. so Efflit (V-1) is waiting in the Pool Room with his troops. His host, Regan, tries to get Efflit to him to commit suicide before the creature kills them both. (Regan's sick of being a slave and wants to be "free" with his family). Of course, Efflit refuses. Anyways, the Controllers hear a knock on the Pool Room door. Further inspection shows that the knocker is the wounded Sub-Visser 15 (the Hork Bajir). The Controllers let him in, only then the Hork Bajir transforms into the One. (The One was disguised as Sub-Visser 15). Anyways, there's a big fight..yada yada... everyone's down 'cept Visser One. Then the One attacks V-1. The One snacks on Regan (Visser One's host) and meanwhile Efflit (the Yeerk) hears about how the One really likes eating human life-forces. The sneaky Yeerk then strikes a deal with the One: if the One lays off the free Yeerks in the Yeerk Pool, then Efflit & Co. will lead the One to Earth and the 6 billion human morsels. The One agrees, and the chappie ends with Efflit realizing that he's in control of his "host body" only his host (Regan) is totally gone.

So after leaving the Efflit on the Blade ship, we suddenly zap to the beginning of book #55, and Rachel's scene with the Ellimist before she goes to "the resting place." Anywho, we learn that Rachel is like a ghost that gets to watch over ppl. Rachel, being dead, is no longer "constrained" by time, and so while her friends age on Earth, time passes quicker for Rachel b/c she's dead. Rachel visits Marco and Tobias (and neither can see her b/c she's dead and "doesn't exist on the same physical plane" as they living do). Anywho, while visiting Marco, Rachel realizes that the Animorphs won the war. Rachel overhears Marco talk about his mother attending some big security conference in Washington, and Marco says he's going to go and watch Eva speak. Tobias, meanwhile, is living in the forest like a hawk. Rachel "opened her heart" and "concentrated only on Tobias" and then she knew all the things that was going on with Tobias's life. (This is called watching over them, and it's a perk of being dead). Anways, Rachel wants to help Tobias, b/c he's such a wreck, but the Ellimist tells her that "there's little that she can do" and he can't do anything, and she should go to the resting place.

Next, we moved to Cassie. It was one month after the Ax party and Cassie was giving a speech to the National Alien Security Convention in Washington D.C. We see Eva and Marco at the NASC also. Cassie's speech pretty much covered this really bad terrorist attack (huge forest fire) on the Hork Bajir Habitat of Yellowstone Park. Cassie goes on to say that she is supporting the Smith-Chowders Bill Alien Security Bill. The Alien Security Bill attacks the "person" loophole by legally defining aliens as "persons." (Most U.S. laws are only defined for "persons" and so crimes against "alien foreign visitors" get thrown out of court b/c they're not legally defined as crimes). Besides, learning about Cassie's sponsoring of this very controversial bill (it's controversial b/c ppl are afraid that defining aliens as "persons" is the first step in aliens becoming U.S. citizens), we also meet Ronnie Chambers, Cassie's new boyfriend. Cassie and Ronnie have been together for 6 months.

**New to Summary:** After Cassie delivers her speech, we meet up with Marco (who is also at the conference). Marco's only at the conference to listen to his mom speak, and so after she's done he's bored out of his mind. Marco meets up with Cassie and Ronnie, and the three spend some quality time tossing pudding over the hotel balcony. Cassie accidentally hits someone, General Wallace. General Wallace is this grouchy southern good 'ol boy who hates aliens and mistrusts all the alien intentions. Anywho.. after pegging the general with bird poop colored pudding, Ronnie, Marco, and Cassie flee to Cassie's hotel room.

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**Disclaimer:** Animorphs aren't mine. And you know what! I don't think I have anything else to disclaim in this chappie! (that's a change!) OH! Wait here's a disclaimer! Nintendo! Shoot! I don't own Nintendo.

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The same night

The Carlton Hotel

It was about five hours later, and Cassie and I were seated in her penthouse suite talking. Ronnie had long since retired to his own room, giving Cassie and I "some private time to catch up on things," as he put it.

"So how is Nora doing?" Cassie was asking.

Nora is my Dad's new wife. Near the end of the War with the Yeerks, Nora became a Controller, and both Dad and I thought she was dead. However, a few weeks after the human victory, Nora was found. She and my Dad were reunited, and they married a couple of months later.

At first, the whole idea of Dad being with someone other than Mom kind of bothered me. I mean, after we rescued Mom from the Yeerks I had always hoped that she and Dad would get back together again.

But they didn't.

I guess that the years had changed my parents too much, and they were just too different. And then when Nora was found, Dad was-- well Dad was crying. And now Dad and Nora are married. And Dad's happy. And Mom's happy. And if Mom's happy with things, and Dad's happy with things, then I'm going to be happy with them too. Even if I have a math teacher for a step-mom.

"Oh, Nora's doing alright," I told Cassie. "Its my Dad who's going crazy. You'd think he was the first guy ever to have a pregnant wife, the way he acts. It's all 'Nora be careful.' and 'Nora are you alright?' and 'Nora don't walk down the stairs if it's too much trouble.'"

Cassie giggled. "Well, I'm sure he means well," she smiled. "He's just nervous about having twins, I guess."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"Do they know if they're boys or girls yet?" Cassie asked.

"No, they got the ultra-sound back last week, but the doctors couldn't tell," I explained. "Anyways, I really don't care what the kid's sexes are-- as long as they're both boys."

Cassie shook her head in amusement.

"Hey, I've got to carry on the Marco-traditions!" I protested indignantly.

"Like what? Playing Nintendo?"

"Yeah, and the Zen art of cooking frozen pizza."

Cassie laughed.

"But so what about you?" I asked, steering the conversation in her direction. "When are the wedding bells going to ring?"

Cassie blinked in confusion. "What?"

"You know, when are you and Ronnie going to tie the knot?" I clarified. "Because I already call dibs on organizing the bachelor party." If Ronnie's friends were anything like the goody-two-shoes Ronnie was, the bachelor party was going to be really lame.

Cassie stared at me, slightly bewildered. "Marco, what are you talking about?" she asked stupidly. "Ronnie and I aren't getting married. We've been dating for only six months; we're not _that _serious."

It was my turn to flash the what-planet-are-you-living-on look. "Cassie, my friend, does your not-so-serious-but-totally-acts-like-he's-that-serious boyfriend know that?"

Cassie nodded assuredly. "Oh course Ron does. We're not even near that point yet; we're just dating. Ronnie wouldn't think that this is anything more that it is. Which is not very serious," she said firmly.

I cast her a skeptical look.

"He wouldn't," she insisted.

I shrugged. "If you say so."

"Anyways," Cassie yawned. "Its almost three in the morning." She shot me a rather pointed look.

"Alright, alright, I'm going already," I said, intercepting the implied meaning behind her look.

Cassie apologized. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to run you out, but the conference begins at nine tomorrow morning. And I don't want to be sleeping through it."

I sniffled, mockingly. "That's alright, you don't have to make excuses," I said, pretending to be hurt. "I know when I'm not wanted."

Cassie laughed. "Sorry," she repeated. "But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

I shook my head. "No, not at the conference. There's no way! I've already done my time. But I'm staying at Mom's condo through Friday." I added. "If for some odd reason you get bored of listening to dull people making dull speeches for ten hours a day, go ahead and drop by."

Cassie nodded. "Alright, I will."

Then Cassie stood up and she walked me to the door.

"Good night Marco," she said.

"You too," I replied as I walked out of her hotel suite and into the hallway. "Oh and Cassie?"

"Mmhum?"

"Be careful with Ronnie," I cautioned. "If you're not serious, I mean. Because he's got that very serious look about him. I'm People's Hottest Bachelor of the year," I reminded her. "I can tell these things."

Cassie smiled, bemusedly. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She replied. "Good night Marco."

"Good night Cassie."

Then Cassie shut the door, and I headed down the hallway to the elevator. I rode the elevator down to the lobby, called my limo, and then my chauffeur drove me back to Mom's condo.

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okay for all of you who are sick and tired of all this stupid intro stuff... it's over! (HOORAY!!!) I got everyone's "before" characters covered! (DOUBLE HOORAY!!!) anyways.. next chappie we're switching POV's. We're going back to the Blade Ship to figure out just what did happen to those pesky Yeerks.

So stay tuned for the next exciting epi-er update- of Animorphs: The One!

And now that you've just read the best chapter ever written (no, I don't have an over-inflated head : ) be sure and review! And I'd be much obliged!

: )  
  
DH

PS: review, k? thanks much!


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